November 01, 2022 7 min read

CBD for pets is becoming more and more popular around the globe for various reasons. From relieving minor aches and pains to helping deal with skin conditions, topical CBD for pets is slowly gaining fame among dog owners.

CBD pet companies are committed to creating excellent products for your dogs to support their health and happiness.

Let’s begin this article with what CBD topical is, and then we will talk about how CBD topicals work. And let's see if or not it helps the dogs find relief.

What Is CBD Topical?

Cannabidiol is extracted from industrial cannabis plants - hemp plants (Cannabis Sativa) and marijuana plants. The ingredient that gives cannabis its euphoric effects, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), is thought to be present in topical CBD. However, it's crucial to remember that topical CBD frequently lacks delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Only up to 0.3% of THC is permitted in CBD products.

Pure CBD is produced by processing hemp, which is then manufactured into other products. These hemp-derived CBD products come in tincture, edible, and topical varieties.

Topicals are among the most well-liked subcategories of CBD products for pets. Your pets will absorb CBD through their skin if you use topicals and brush them into their fur. This works especially well when you've established that CBD is the best treatment for your dog's skin condition, pain, inflammation, and discomfort.

Now you must be wondering how topical CBD works. Well, we will answer that for you in our next part.

How Does CBD Topical Work For Dogs?

The endocannabinoid system is a messenger system found in canines, which is the most crucial part of the central nervous system. It supports immunological function, sleep, hunger, pain, and more.

The messengers in this system are affected by CBD, which also stimulates the immune, digestive, and neurological systems and the brain. It can achieve this because CBD contains endocannabinoids comparable to those in your dog's body.

Due to this, the advantages of CBD run deep and wide. This is why CBD is slowly getting popular as the world's healthiest plant and is expanding at this rate.

CBD topicals seep through the skin and give the same kind of relief that other forms of CBD products would provide.

How Does CBD Affect Dogs?

When giving your dog CBD, keep an eye out for indications of a favorable or unfavorable response.

For instance, if you give CBD to your dog 20 minutes before a fireworks display and discover them lying down peacefully during the show when they would normally be hiding under a bed, the CBD has likely been successful.

Or, if your dog's arthritis has been impairing their mobility and they can run and jump as they used to after taking CBD for about a week, the odds are good; it's working.

Negative symptoms to watch out for include excessive sweating, sluggishness, dribbling urine, vomiting, and loss of balance. Your pet may have overindulged and suffer from toxic repercussions if they show any of these symptoms. It would be advisable in this situation to see your veterinarian.

Will CBD Help Give Relief To Dogs?

Yes, CBD can give relief to dogs in various situations. There has already been a lot of research, and more research is ongoing on CBD. This research is mostly positive in providing symptomatic relief.

Gives Relief To Dogs With Joint Problems

Topical CBD can serve as a significant pain relief medication for your dog.

Your veterinarian may recommend NSAIDs or other painkillers like Gabapentin if your dog suffers from joint pain. However, soft tissues and joints can deteriorate due to NSAID use and harm your dog's liver, and gabapentin can harm the kidneys. Moreover, it may not be very effective.

Instead, CBD is a safe, natural anti-inflammatory that has pain-relieving properties. Additionally, it does not have the same adverse effects as prescription medications. The brain's CB1 receptors are where it works. CB1 receptors alter how the brain processes pain. These receptors stimulate the immune system to lessen inflammation.

CBD binds CB2 receptors in the immunological and neurological systems. When this occurs, the body may begin to create more cannabinoids naturally. This further lessens inflammation and lessens muscle soreness.

Cornell University researchers discovered that dogs receiving CBD for arthritis were more active and displayed a reduction in discomfort and that it helped them ease the pain.

The following conditions are among those for which people frequently purchase CBD topicals for dogs as it contains anti-inflammatory properties:

  • Hip and elbow dysplasia
  • Arthritis
  • Sprains and strains
  • Torn ligaments (CCL)

Helps Dogs With Seizures And Epilepsy

It hurts to see dogs with seizures, be it due to nerve damage or any other reason. Both dogs and the humans who care for them may find them unsettling, and they can make people anxious.

Most veterinarians use antiepileptic medications to treat epilepsy and seizures. Potassium bromide or phenobarbital are frequent choices. However, these medications severely harm the liver and other organs in your dog's body.

Additionally, even when the side effects are manageable, the medications may not always be as effective.

Therefore, when Colorado State University researchers looked at CBD as a treatment for canine epilepsy, they were excited. A staggering 89% of the canines who took CBD experienced a decrease in seizures. CBD even helped individuals with drug-resistant epilepsy in human trials.

How CBD interacts with the endocannabinoid system reduces the frequency and intensity of seizures. Aberrant electric charges cause seizures in the nervous system's neurons. But CBD can connect to brain receptors, which decreases seizures in dogs.

The dog can find relief from seizures and epilepsy by using topical or oral CBD.

Dogs With Anxiety Can Also Find Relief

Dog owners frequently use CBD to treat anxiety. Anxiety can manifest in various ways, including fear, aggression, separation anxiety, and noise phobia. Of course, anti-anxiety medications are readily available. CBD, however, is being researched for anxiety because it has not shown harmful side effects yet.

Most human CBD consumers use it to treat pain, anxiety, and depression. CBD has even assisted with anxiety and insomnia in youngsters with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Animal studies now demonstrate that the antidepressant effects extend beyond humans.

CBD can be administered immediately orally when your dog is agitated. It starts working quickly. It often works in 5 to 20 minutes, but it was witnessed that giving CBD over a prolonged time has the most positive effects on anxiety.

Therefore, a daily dose may be most effective if your dog is prone to stress. However, consult your vet before giving your dog any CBD dose.

Give Relief To Your Dogs In Pain

Research on pain is arguably the most promising area of CBD study. It effectively relieves pain, from arthritis to nerve pain, without the adverse side effects of painkillers.

CBD alters how your dog's brain interprets pain by attaching to CB1 and CB2 receptors in the brain and nervous system.

Additionally, CBD can help with other pain-related side effects like nausea and insomnia. CBD may manage acute pain from injuries as well.

CBD topicals can be given to your dogs to relieve pain, as you can put CBD where the dog is experiencing pain. Then that seeps through the skin and gives relief to the dog.

Dogs Can Feel Relief From Allergies

Dog allergies are becoming more prevalent. They are very challenging to treat. So, tragically, allergies are a frequent cause of canine euthanasia. In fact, one of the most common causes of vet visits is general skin disorders.

The endocannabinoid system is also present in the skin and is good news for allergic dogs. CBD can treat dry, itchy skin. It can also encourage the development of new, healthy skin cells. You can apply CBD topically to hot patches or interdigital cysts or feed it to your dogs orally for allergies.

Possible Side Effects Of CBD On Dogs

Depending on how CBD affects humans, there are possible side effects, even if there isn't any scientific data yet on the negative consequences of CBD use in dogs. Make sure you use CBD topical products in recommended dosage to reduce any potential adverse effects.

Dry Mouth: CBD can cause a reduction in salivation, which makes dogs more thirsty.

Drowsiness: CBD has been used to reduce anxiety in dog owners. Its soothing effect might also produce mild drowsiness when consumed in higher amounts.

Lowered Blood Pressure: Blood pressure has been found to drop temporarily after taking high doses of CBD. Despite the drop's nominal size, it could nonetheless cause a momentary feeling of dizziness.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Quickly Do CBD Topicals Work?

Topical medications work wonders for irritants like hot spots. When administered topically, cannabinoids obtained from CBD do not reach the bloodstream. They go through the skin via CB2 receptors before being absorbed locally. These advantages take effect in as little as 10 to 15 minutes and can last up to 2 to 4 hours.

How Are CBD Topical Products Absorbed?

Topicals are among the most well-liked subcategories of CBD products for animals. They can help in reducing pain and inflammation when the skin absorbs them. Your pets absorb CBD through their skin if you simply rub them into their fur.

When you've verified that CBD is effective for a skin issue, pain, inflammation, or discomfort, you will realize that CBD topicals work really well, and you will no longer have to think about how do CBD topicals work.

Is CBD Only Available In The Form Of oil?

No. There is a wide variety of CBD-infused products available in the market. CBD is not just available in the form of oil. It can also be available in creams and lotions. You can even find CBD ointment, CBD skin care products, and CBD gummies.

All topical CBD products work equally efficiently, you just have to know how much CBD to use and when to use it. You can apply CBD cream or can feed your pet oral CBD.

Conclusion

Pet CBD topicals function in the same way as human CBD topicals. This product penetrates deeply into the skin's tissues to target particular locations. Topical CBD products for animals can help maintain healthy skin, joints, and muscles.

CBD treatment designed specifically for pets may be the solution you need if you have an older pet who isn't as readily scratched as they once were or one who never stops itching.

When adding topical CBD products to your pet's routine, patience is essential. Always begin with the smallest serving and observe your pet to determine how it affects them. If you discover that your pet needs more support after learning the fundamentals of CBD, you can raise the serving size.