Cannabis Oil For Dogs - What The Floof?
Cannabis oil for dogs has set tongues wagging around Australia and the world.
But what’s it all about?
How can it help?
And most importantly, is it ethical?
Let’s start with a quick breakdown of the Cannabis plant, shall we?
Few people realise that to understand Cannabis oil for dogs, we have to dive deeper into the makeup of the Cannabis plant.
Cannabis is a flowering plant from the Cannabaceae family. And Hemp and marijuana are broad terms used to classify different varieties of the Cannabis plant. So, if we think of Cannabis as the head of the family, and hemp and marijuana are the children. Simple enough?
But there’s a major difference between hemp and marijuana.
Marijuana is the wild child. It has more than 0.3% of THC by dry weight (the compound that makes you high). Yep, it’s the infamous strain that gives you the giggles. On the other side, hemp is the do-gooder in the family. It has less than 0.3% of THC by dry weight (which isn’t enough to give you that euphoric high).
So now we know that hemp is the good guy – it suddenly doesn’t feel so outlandish to give hemp to our dogs. In fact, it’s an incredibly delicious and highly-nutritious supplement for them. And yes, it’s absolutely ethical.
But wait, there’s more. You can give hemp to your pupper in a few different forms.
Namely, CBD oil and hemp seed oil. Let’s compare them…
CBD Oil For Dogs (AKA Full Spectrum Oil)
One of the most popular cannabis products for dogs is CBD oil. But it also has the most confusion surrounding it. So let’s untangle it…
The hemp plant contains over 113 cannabinoids (naturally occurring compounds). And CBD is one of the most researched cannabinoids, renowned for its health benefits.
Like humans, dogs have an endocannabinoid system. This is an internal system made up of various cannabinoid receptors, which play a role in immunity, pain response, metabolism, emotions and more. The cannabinoid, CBD, then interacts with this system, having a powerful effect on your pupper’s body.
It’s tail-waggingly exciting, really.
Benefits of CBD Oil for Dogs
The benefits of CBD oil for dogs are plenty.
Research shows the cannabinoids in Cannabis can work to:
- Relieve acute and chronic pain
- Boost mood and reduce anxiety
- Relieve symptoms of osteoarthritis
- Prevent seizures and epilepsy
- Fight off cancer
- Support brain health
- Improve their sleep
- Help ageing pups at the end of their life
So if your best mate is taking traditional drugs for any of these conditions, you might want to consider talking to your vet about CBD. In many cases, pet owners use conventional medicine in conjunction with CBD. This can help to lower the drug dosage and reduce side effects.
Hemp Seed Oil For Dogs
Hemp seed oil is made from cold-pressing the seeds of the hemp plant. And those teeny tiny hemp seeds are packed with a whole lot of nutrients for our dogs.
The main difference between hemp seed oil and CBD oil is that hemp seed oil does not have an active effect on the endocannabinoid system. So rather than being medicinal in nature, hemp seed oil is more like a super-food.
Benefits of Hemp Seed Oil For Dogs
Even though hemp seed oil doesn’t have an active effect on the endocannabinoid system, it’s got some other cool tricks.
Hemp seed oil is packed with good cholesterol, minerals, vitamins, protein, fibre and antioxidants. Together, these nutrients work to support immunity, aid digestion, soothe irritation, strengthen their coat and promote healthy skin.
But what’s most impressive about hemp seed oil is its optimum ratio of Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids. The Omega ratio is 3:1 of Omega 6 to Omega 3. And in nutrition lingo, this is ideal. These Omega fatty acids keep your furry friend in peak condition, promoting a healthy heart, skin and coat.
Before long, they’ll be the most radiant fluff ball in the dog park
Cannabis Oil For Dogs (So We’re Not Barking Mad, After All)
The controversial rumours are true: Cannabis oil is dang good for dogs.
And better yet, both CBD and hemp seed oil have very few side-effects. It’s important to note that in large quantities, CBD oil can make your pet feel a little drowsy due to its effect on the endocannabinoid system. For this reason, it’s best to chat with your vet about dosage recommendations.
But remember, CBD or hemp seed oil will not make your dog high.
Quite the opposite, actually.
It’ll keep them in peak condition.
Ready to put your pupper’s best paw forward? At Hemp Collective, we’re excited to launch our Pet Balance Oil. It contains a heath-giving combination of hemp seed oil and chia oil – a wonderful source of Omega fatty acids, vitamins, minerals, iron, calcium, potassium, protein and zinc. This works to increase energy, create a shiny coat and promote healthy joints.
Such great and ingenious natural products that have a wonderful aroma and feel so great to use. Try them and you'll understand what I mean.