Introduction to possible issues of giving your dog CBD products
There’s lots of praise thrown around regarding CBD products. You go to the product page on Amazon and you’ll see countless positive reviews. You talk to your friends and family who have been using it for a while, and more often than not, they will eagerly recommend it to you.
But what are the risks of using CBD products? Is it truly safe for you to give it to your dogs? Every prescribed medicine has a side effect, so what about CBDs? This brief article will focus on that specific point so that you know what to expect before you give CBDs to your dogs. The health benefits of CBD for dogs are well established by now, but what about the safety and the risk? Is it actually safe for dogs to use CBD regularly?
What is the difference between CBD and THC for dogs?
Before we get to the issue of safety issues of THC and CBD for dogs, let’s talk about what CBD is first. Cannabidiol (CBD) is one of the main active compounds found within cannabis and its subclass plants, especially hemp. CBD is the one that would make you feel calm and relax whenever you consume both plants.
The second main compound in cannabis is called Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). THC is the psychoactive compound of the plant. This is the one that would cause that unique feeling of “high”. Unlike CBD, THC by itself is often considered to be an unwanted compound.
But there are times when THC is a necessary component that could strengthen the effect of the CBD. This type of mix between the CBD, THC, and other types of cannabinoids is called a Full Spectrum CBD. That being said, for safety reasons, the maximum level of THC allowed is only 0.3%.
What are the risks of CBD to dogs?
Most people assumed that CBD works the same way as its source plants, cannabis. That is, if you consume too much of it, you’ll end up being overdosed. You can rest assured now because such a thing won’t ever happen to you nor to your dogs.
You can give your dogs however much CBD that you want and there won’t be any side effects on them. Of course, there is still a certain caveat to that statement. As long as you use either broad spectrum CBD or isolate CBD, then your dogs will be fine. But if you use Full Spectrum CBD that has THC in it, there will be another risk involved. More on that in the next section.
Can a dog get too much CBD?
If that’s the case, does it mean you can give your dog a very large amount of CBD dogs without having to worry about the dosage? No, you cannot do that. You should always be mindful of the dosage per serving of every CBD that you give to your dogs. This is why it is important to really trust the products you are buying and giving your dogs.
When we first started our CBD journey we were worried about everything, but found Apawthecary pets and their amazing CBD oil. Sadly, they closed and we had to find a new product to trust. We tried over a dozen different ones and finally found our favorite.
The reason is simply because of the potency. If you give too little CBD to your dogs, then it won’t be effective. And if you give too much CBD to your dogs, it won’t suddenly increase its potency either. Imagine washing a car with one hundred people, that would not only be wasteful but also extremely ineffective. The same principle applied to giving your dogs too much CBD.
What are the risk of THC on dogs?
If CBD is a relatively harmless compound for your dogs, THC is the exact opposite. Human beings have a high tolerance to THC. That’s why we can consume pure cannabis without experiencing any of the terrible side effects. Dogs, on the other hand, have a much weaker tolerance to this psychoactive compound. For dogs, too much THC will lead to something called THC poisoning.
That’s why as mentioned earlier, you should be mindful with the dosage whenever you give a Full Spectrum CBD to your dogs. So does it mean you can’t give Full Spectrum to your dogs? No, you can certainly give it to your dogs. There is only around 0.3% THC in it, so your dogs should be fine.
Full spectrum CBD has been proven to be more effective at handling much more critical health conditions than other types of CBDs. What you should be extremely aware of is the dosage. Even if it’s just a trace amount of THC, if you give your dogs too much of it, it would still build up inside their body. And that could lead to THC poisoning.
Symptoms of THC poisoning in dogs
The symptoms of THC poisoning include dilated pupils, heavy breathing, vomits, becoming unresponsive, nausea, and many more. If you notice such symptoms in your dogs, you should immediately take them to see the nearest vets. Again, the amount and safety really come down to choosing the right brand to use. This is why we put together our list of the top cbd products for dogs in Canada. We were so tired and worried of trying out new products and watching our little one like a hawk for any bad news.
Final thoughts of using CBD oil with dogs
If you’re worried about the risk involved in giving CBD to your dogs, you shouldn’t be. Because CBD is absolutely safe for dogs. As long as you are mindful of the dosage, especially if you need to use the Full Spectrum CBD, then you should be fine. That being said, you should still stay vigilant and be aware of the symptoms of THC poisoning in your dogs.