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Ask A Doctor – CBD For Pets: Q & A

CBD for Pets
Written by Dr. Leah Zachar

Pets don’t aspire to have a big bank account, run a business, build a house, or run the world. All they want is some food, to be petted now and then, and to be given the opportunity to express their devotion to us. Why not give them CBD for pets?

Many pet lovers have been known to say that “pets are people too.” Literally, that is not so, but on many emotional & physical levels it is may be the case – so we should take care of them as we are the recipient of their unconditional love. Could CBD for pets be the best reward?

Question: I have a 9-year-old German Shepard. He has severe hip dysplasia and has been moving around slower and slower. The pain medications that the veterinarian prescribes makes him nauseous and gives him diarrhoea. The anti-inflammatory medication gives him loss of appetite. We don’t want to put him to sleep. Can you help?

Your German Shepard is suffering from an orthopedic problem called hip dysplasia complicated by pain and inflammation. Yes, CBD for pets can help. Speak with your veterinarian. Consider using CBD tincture, starting at a low dose, and base it on your German Shepard’s body weight in pounds. Taper the dose up as high as you feel necessary. There is no “toxic” dose, but the tapering must be done very slowly.

Question: I have a St. Bernard who is 7 years old. She is very loving, but gets extremely anxious when there are loud noises and “loses it” when we try to leave the house without her. She doesn’t want to be separated from us. Our veterinarian gave us medication, but it made her so tired that she just crawled into her corner and wouldn’t interact with anyone. Please help!

Your St. Bernard may have separation anxiety. Our CBD for pets will help to “bring her back” to your family. Start at a low dose. As this is anxiety, you should see the beginning of the benefits of CBD within a few hours.

Question: I have a 9-year-old Labrador with painful arthritis and he’s losing his hair in random areas of his body. He used to be so energetic, but now just sits underneath the kitchen table and only gets up to go to eat. We’ve been going to the veterinarian every three months. He receives a high dose pain medication twice a day as well as allergy medication that just puts him to sleep. Advice?

Your Labrador has skin issues, pain, arthritis, and probably allergies as well. Start him on CBD at the dose appropriate for his weight. Remember that he is a “geriatric” dog, so err on the side of a lower dosage. You should see the benefits rather quickly in pain relief, and you may even (with your veterinarian’s approval) be able to cut down her pain medication significantly. Her allergies and loss of hair will take longer to improve – up to a few weeks, because the recovery of the immune system and the growth of hair growth always take a while. Be patient. It is my belief, that in 3-6 months when you bring him back for his medical visit, your veterinarian will barely recognize him. In this case, CBD for pets could be just the ticket here.

Question: I own an adorable Yorkshire Terrier. She is 5 years old and she has been having seizures for the last 2 years which were somewhat controlled on three different anti-seizure medications. Her routine was to have one or two seizures during the day, then we would keep her body cool with ice packs to keep her temperature down, and then after 24 hours of being seizure-free, we could let her out again. Please help us.

The best research in CBD in the pediatric age group has been done on seizures. Very high doses were used, and the children exhibited no toxicity or side effects from the CBD. The researchers found that the CBD administered was successful in reducing the seizures.
CBD lowers the glutamate which causes the activation, propagation, and continuation of the seizures. It is suggested that with your veterinarian’s knowledge, you start your Beagle-Terrier on it immediately. The dose of the conventional anti-seizure medications may be able will be lowered.

Question: I own an alley cat. My pet doctor has been giving her tiny doses of CBD for her seizures she began having and there is improvement. Now what?

Once you’ve achieved the outcome and your cat has appreciable relief, then maintain the current dose of CBD. Over time, adjustments can be made, up or down when necessary.
Remember – CBD is not the answer for all pets. Just as in people, some pets respond better than others. When in doubt, always err on the side of under-dosing.
You can always increase the dose slowly and monitor your pet for the optimum effects

Question: We rescued our 9-year-old Great Dane from an animal shelter. She always loved to go hiking and camping with us. Over the last year, she has been reluctant to keep up with us when we go hiking. Her appetite has diminished, and – well, she’s getting old. She is a part of our family. Can CBD help?

Your Great Dane has health issues related to pain, joint & mobility, appetite, and aging.
Start CBD for pets at a dosage that is appropriate for her weight. After a week or two you will see increased energy, a healthier appetite, and a more “spirited” dog. Increase the dose very slowly, because your dog is old, and a lower dose of CBD is advised in the older pet.
You may be most favorably surprised when you see your “geriatric” Great Dane starts behaving like she’s just a “middle-aged” dog.

Question: We own an 8½ year old Siberian Husky. Our veterinarian diagnosed her a month ago with a malignant tumor in the ventricle of his right heart. She now has right heart failure, pulmonary edema, and ascites. The vet said that she is going to go into distress and that we should say goodbye to her.

There are certain types of malignancies in pets that CBD can control. Right heart tumors seem to be one of them. You may wish to discuss this further with your veterinarian.
Start CBD and adjust it for your dog’s ideal body weight (as his weight now is far below normal). The expectation is that you’ll first see an improvement in her appetite followed by her energy level. Be patient. Wait a few weeks and her condition may even stabilize and then begin to improve. Even her dandruff may subside. If the CBD helps to shrink the size of the tumor in the right ventricle, the right heart failure will improve and there will be a reduction in the pulmonary edema and peritoneal ascites.
As this is a malignancy, with your veterinarian’s guidance, you should continue the CBD for pets long term.

Question: I recently adopted a Beagle-Terrier from an animal shelter that had been abused. She is only 2 ½ years old. Her anxiety causes her to act-out, but once she finishes carrying on, she becomes her true self – a calm, settled, and lovable dog. Can CBD help with her anxiety?

CBD addresses the same physical, emotional, and mental issues in dogs as they do in humans. Speak with your veterinarian. Your lovable Beagle-Terrier has post-traumatic stress disorder. I would advise adding CBD to her usual regimen, and adjust it for her body weight. You should see the benefits quickly. Increase the dose gradually and maintain it at that dose when the natural personality of your dog emerges.

Take home message:

Humans aren’t the only ones who can benefit from hemp CBD. In fact, all mammals have an endocannabinoid system – this system allows us to reap the benefits of hemp CBD. This is good news for our furry friends!
CBD Testers can be your “go to” for CBD for every member of your family – even the furry ones.

As per your request, we are moving the weekly In-house doctor session from Thursday at 1 pm EST, to Thursday at 3 pm EST (That’s UK’s 20:00, NYC’s 15:00 and LA’s 12:00)

If you want to read more from Dr Zachar, check out: ‘Ask A Doctor CBD For Pets: Delivery Systems, Health Issues And Dosing’

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About the author

Dr. Leah Zachar

Dr. Leah Zachar, M.D. is a physician who worked for nearly thirty years in Internal Medicine.
She currently is a scientific adviser to CBD Testers. Dr. Zachar believes that there is much that medical cannabis, and cannabidiol in particular can offer to traditional medicine.