The health and wellness potential of CBD has captured both human and pet owner interest alike in recent years as emerging research and abundant anecdotal success stories drive mass market intrigue.
CBD can be sourced from cannabis or hemp plants blending beneficial phytochemicals that influence critical systems like immune, endocrine and nervous system function. Full spectrum CBD retains all the compounds present in whole plants including cannabinoids, terpenes and amino acids providing more amplified effects.
So what exactly is full spectrum CBD oil for dogs? How does it work and what effects can pet owners expect for their 4-legged companions? Let’s analyze the details pet parents must know about this trending cannabis compound to ensure pet health and safety.
What is Full Spectrum CBD Oil?
Full spectrum CBD oil retains the full spectrum of original cannabinoid and terpene compounds found within cannabis minus psychoactive THC for heightened therapeutic effects, otherwise diluted or lost completely through over processing.
High quality extraction preserves valuable cannabinoids like CBD, CBG, CBN, CBC plus beneficial terpenes and flavonoids, retaining true plant synergies cultivating the highly sought after “entourage effect” where compounds work together complementing one another’s effects where nature intended.
As the name implies, full spectrum CBD oil draws from the entire plant genetics without genetically modifying isolates through crystallization. While CBD alone boasts incredible potential to benefit human and pet health, whole spectrum phytochemical preservation unlocks the true power of nature’s design.
Full spectrum CBD oils certified free from pesticides, solvents and contain less than 0.3% THC are legal per federal regulations. Yet laws governing cannabis content and allowances for pets vary between states and remain subject to ongoing evolution and interpretation, so consult local laws.
How Does Full Spectrum CBD Oil Work For Dogs?
To understand how full spectrum CBD oil positively affects canine physiology, it helps to understand the endocannabinoid system (ECS) – a complex cell-signaling network identified through the discovery of cannabis cannabinoids like CBD. This major biological regulatory system maintains homeostasis impacting a wide range of critical biological functions like sleep, mood, appetite, sexual health, as well as cognitive and motor function.
Studies show that like people, dogs have naturally occurring endocannabinoid receptors throughout their nervous systems. Full spectrum CBD oil works by activating these cannabinoid receptors located in all vertebrates including companion animals.
Prominent veterinary cannabinoid researchers Dr. Gary Richter notes 90% of layperson reported benefits align with prescription applications documented formally through clinical veterinary medicine studies. This fuels optimism around the many real-world therapeutic applications implementing quality CBD oil as standard supplemental pet care.
Analyzing Full Spectrum CBD Oil for Dogs
Breaking down the core effects CBD oil yields for pup benefits and safety deepens understanding behind this popular supplement choice. Given plants naturally generate cannabis compounds to survive environmental threats meeting key biological imperatives like fighting infection, healing injuries, weathering toxins and thriving through survival motivations, these core genetic benefits unlocked within vertebrates like humans and canines start coming into clearer focus.
Let’s analyze how supplementing various full spectrum CBD oil concentrations positively impacts dogs balancing safety:
Immune & Anti-Inflammatory Effects
Great for dogs with allergies, autoimmunity, bowel issues, cancer, diabetes, injury recovery etc requiring immune & inflammation modulation without sedation, steroid side effects or disrupting existing meds. Anti-inflammatory effects help tremendously easing joint issues for elderly pups. Autoimmune conditions benefit from cannabinoid receptor activation reducing inflammatory cell severity and related pain. Gut health connections continue emerging lowering gut permeability allowing tighter junctions decreasing allergen sensitivity and infection risks.
Pain Relief
One of the most profound effects pet owners desire is effective pain relief from injury, post surgical, dental procedures, joint problems or chronic inflammatory conditions causing discomfort negatively impacting quality of life and health long term through resulting condition avoidance tendencies. Full spectrum CBD oils significantly decrease pain impulses without sedation or side effects common drugs yield.
Appetite/GI Regulation
Commonly reported benefits by owners cite noticeable appetite stimulation benefits which can be invaluable helping clinical pets start eating properly again especially through intensive protocols diminishing consumption. Bowel motility modulation also helps pets prone to vomiting, nausea, diarrhea or constipation issues.
Anti-Anxiety Effects
Separation anxiety relief ranks among highly desirable benefits frequently reported by pet owners when implementing CBD oils for stressed, nervous pets increasingly common given pandemic anxiousness transference now witnessed due to increased pet adoptions and owner proximity reliance not previously standard. The calming effects help many dogs prone to panic or storm phobias by dulling acute stress reactions.
Anti-Seizure Action
Perhaps some of the most profound benefits seen for controlling treatment resistant seizure activity for epileptic or brain disorder prone pets not responding reliably to multiple prescription anti-convulsants with heavy sedation side effects. CBD oil studies report exceptional supplemental seizure control results even lowering drug dosage requirements for certain cases. Both focal and grand mal episodes either diminish greatly or disappear entirely providing massive safety benefits.
Cancer Applications
Promising research into CBD compounds ability to balance cell communication protocols through endocannabinoid system activation shows potential slowing metastasis (spreading) risks by blocking detrimental cellular messaging preventing aggressive duplication tendencies of cancerous tissues. Adjunct palliative care benefits easing pain and nausea also prove helpful improving quality of life for pets undergoing chemotherapy, radiation or surgical interventions.
Dosing Guidelines, Safety & Side Effects
Proper CBD oil dosing helps dogs gain optimal benefits while ensuring safety monitoring potential yet unlikely side effects occasional sensitive pets may experience. General veterinary guidelines to follow:
Dosing
- Administer doses twice daily 12 hours apart tracking observable changes to establish effective concentrations and timing. Monthly CBD oil doses ranging between 1-5mg per 10 pounds body weight taken consistently in divided doses helps optimize steady state blood levels without sedation or interference risks.
Safety
- Start Low, Go Slow – introduce gradual dose changes allowing 5-7 days between increases assessing effects on individual metabolism. Adverse reactions subside within hours if disrupted but allowing adjustments prevents toxicity.
- Avoid Droppers – for safety, use a pup calibrated CBD oil dispenser to precisely measure doses without risk of spilling larger dropper bottles. Prevent pups licking topicals as concentrations may cause temporary nausea though low toxicity otherwise.
- Monitor Changes – log serving times, amounts and any side effects like diarrhea, vomiting, appetite shifts or restlessness. Share records with your vet. Immediately reach out if abnormalities concern you.
Side Effects
- Digestive Upset – possible diarrhea, vomiting or appetite shifts typically resolve within 12-24 hours discontinuing dosage. Restart at lower dose once subsided.
- Increased Liver Enzymes – request bloodwork if on other meds but elevated liver enzymes are rare and levels typically normalize staying within normal ranges long term. Discontinue if levels spike and consult your vet.
- Sedation Tendencies – decreased energy could indicate dosage exceeds optimal range. Lower to effective dose where engagement remains stable. Allow 5-7 half life days between adjustments.
Overall, while isolated cases experience side effects like upset stomach, changes in liver health markers or sedation, majority of dogs supplement CBD oil without issues especially when properly administered listening to pet feedback along the way.
What To Look For Buying CBD Oils
With so many CBD pet products now available both online and in stores, choosing high quality full spectrum CBD oil that meets your pet’s needs demands vetting considerations validating purity, safety and potency claims through proof and certifications that instill consumer trust and confidence during the purchasing decision.
Here are 5 key buying criteria to review ensuring reputable CBD oil meeting quality benchmarks:
- Organically Grown USA Hemp Sourced
- CO2 Extraction Method – solvent-free
- 3rd Party Lab Tested Verifying Contents
- Certificate of Analysis Reports & Breakdown
- NASC Seal – meeting supplement standards
Review all product documentation across these validation points and consult your veterinarian with any questions arising to gain peace of mind around the best CBD oil match for your pet’s situation and wellness goals.
The Bottom Line – Should You Give Your Dog Full Spectrum CBD Oil?
The prospective health and wellness benefits possible as research continues evolving holds tremendous hope for dog owners seeking natural approaches alleviating their pup’s conditions without sedation, side effects or questionable ingredients. For treatment resistant cases especially, well sourced, properly extracted and tested full spectrum CBD oils are proving invaluable bettering quality of life when properly administered tuned closely to pet-specific outcomes.
That said, some veterinary associations remain reluctant endorsing cannabis derived products like full spectrum CBD oil outright due to lack of long term formal studies detailing concentrations, dosing parameters, breed specific biomarkers and potential contraindications that may exclude certain pets given individualized medical history risks.
Yet prominent veterinary advocates and rapidly emerging supportive findings confirm CBD warrants consideration discussing options with your trusted vet if standard approaches underdeliver or traditional drug side effects diminish overall pet wellness long term. Through proper due diligence vetting purity, contents and dosing instructions matched carefully with pet present medical status, full spectrum CBD oil supplements stand ready providing a potentially profound auxiliary or alternative healing pathway returning beloved dogs back t