Guide on medical cannabis and CBD oil for pet owners and their pets

David Humphrey
Authored by David Humphrey
Posted Thursday, November 5, 2020 - 6:14am

As years passed by, the legalization of medical and recreational cannabis became a reality in over 50 states in the United States of America and around 11 countries all around the world. Marijuana is now used to deal with a whole bunch of symptoms caused by different diseases and mental conditions, and now the stigma claiming it as addictive and dangerous has faded away for most people.

Still, there are people who don’t know much about how cannabis works as a type of therapy, and there are even fewer people who know what is CBD and how it works. The fact that there are now CBD-related products aimed towards pets makes it even more interesting, especially for pet owners wanting to know whether they can use it to help their pets or not.

So, in this article, I’m going to provide as much information as possible, in a simple way, so people get to understand how cannabis and CBD might be beneficial for them, their differences, and which option is better for both humans and animals.

Medical Cannabis and Its History

Believe it or not, even before cannabis was considered something bad and marijuana was linked to bad behaviors, addiction, and traffic, it was used as a form of treatment. Even back in ancient times on empires like the Chinese empire, and even Egyptians used marijuana to deal with some health conditions.

Initially, it was introduced to our western medicine techniques back around 1830, and it was mixed in wine or smoked. The effects of marijuana consumed by mouth and the smoked alternative where similar, but acted differently, with the consumed by mouth taking longer to kick in but achieving (in some cases) with a moderate effect and more lasting duration, whereas smoking it was guaranteed to kick in after 2 to 5 minutes, with a stronger effect, but shorter duration.

The Benefits of Medical Cannabis

Although more people use cannabis for recreational and creative purposes, some have found cannabis as a miraculous alternative to deal with some physical and mental conditions.

For example, it was proven that cannabis could be used as an alternative treatment to deal with epileptic seizures, and its CBD counterpart was proven to reduce the attacks by 32% in more than 100 people.

Other people use cannabis to heal their sleep apnea and insomnia, and others use it as a relaxation method that can reduce anxiety and depressive thoughts. Others might use it to improve their productivity levels as well as increase their focus, which is possible on some occasions.

The most common reason why people use cannabis, though, is to deal with the inflammation and pain caused by multiple physical conditions and diseases, like arthritis and cancer.

What is CBD and Why Is It Better for Pets?

Now, we’ve talked a lot about marijuana, but what is CBD, and why has it gained so much popularity right now? Well, first of all, CBD stands for a compound known as Cannabidiol, and it is the second-most present compound in this plant.

Still, this compound is the dominant one in another plant, familiar to the cannabis, known as the hemp plant. And it is the hemp plant who’s responsible for all cannabidiol-based products since they all require to have less than 0.3% of THC levels, the compound that gets people high whenever they consume cannabis and marijuana.

Now, this THC is toxic for animals, and you can read a lot more about this over here https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/marijuana-intoxication-in-dogs-and-cats.

Now, since CBD contains a pretty much harmless level of this compound, it makes it perfect for pets, and also for people who want to enjoy the healing benefits of cannabis and marijuana without getting high.

CBD oil is the most common form of this product, but since it might be difficult to handle at first, some people prefer to buy cannabidiol edibles in the form of cookies, protein bars, candies, and gummies.

This makes it a more discreet form of treatment since it’s much less recognizable than oil, and you can consume it everywhere without additional tools or preparation.

For pets, you can also find cannabidiol oil, but buy product on this link that is specifically made for pets, making it a little easier to handle. Of course, these products are aimed to benefit animals the same way cannabidiol would benefit a human.

Most people use it to help their pets deal with joint pain and cancer pain, which is very common in senior dogs and cats. It is also a rather useful asset if your pet suffers from anxiety, so it can relax during trips or when you leave the house.

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