Dogs can take CBD at any age, even when they are small puppies. The best CBD oils for dogs don’t have even the slightest amounts of THC in them, so there’s no risk of your canine buddy getting high or dizzy.
CBD is completely non-intoxicating in nature and is well accepted and tolerated by mammals, including dogs. In the majority of cases, dog CBD consumption does not lead to any side effects or adverse reactions.
Just like humans, both younger and older dogs are prone to anxiety, pain, and sleep-related issues. CBD offers a clean, chemical-free, and cost-effective solution for boosting your dog’s health.
You can give it to your furry friend during thunderstorms, family visits, long car travel, and even air travel so that they remain calm and stress-free throughout the journey. Read on to learn more about everything you need to know as a dog owner who is planning to introduce CBD to their dog’s wellness routine.
Can I Give CBD To Puppies?
CBD use cases have become quite popular among pet parents. However, in most cases, pet parents opt for it when their dog starts to age and develops many health issues with time. For example, older dogs are more likely to suffer from arthritis, chronic pain, and mobility issues as compared to young ones or puppies.
So for them, CBD seems like a suitable source of relaxation and good sleep on their tough days. But what about young puppies?
Well, the truth is, yes! CBD is equally effective in young pups as well. There’s no age barrier to giving your dog CBD, and after they have weaned off their nursing mother, they become ready to safely consume CBD oil.
Just make sure that you buy it only from reputed and well-tested sources. The pet CBD market is full of newcomers and inferior-quality brands, which may trap you under the false pretense of glorified marketing tactics.
Hence, you should always check the third-party lab test report for the products and ensure that they’re completely free of toxins. Also, match the total cannabinoids mentioned on the label with the levels mentioned in the reports.
Finally, give your puppy a small dose at the beginning, observe the effects for a few days, and then try to adjust the dosage gradually.
Is There A Difference Between The Impact Of CBD Oil Between Young and Old Dogs?
No, the effects of CBD oil for dogs are similar in both young pups and older canines. CBD consumption will result in better pain, stress, and anxiety management in dogs of all age groups.
However, the overall onset time of the effects and total duration can be different between younger and older dogs. Senior dogs have a slower metabolism, which results in slower absorption; hence, it will take longer for CBD to work.
Whereas, younger dogs of size will see the impact much faster due to a faster absorption rate and digestion times. Other factors like weight, activity level, medication history, and body chemistry of individual dogs can also lead to differences in onset times and total duration of effects, even when the dosage is almost the same.
As a general rule of thumb, the ideal dosage for your furry friend depends on their body weight. You should aim for 1 to 5 mg of CBD per 10 pounds of body weight every day.
You can divide the dosage throughout the day, depending on the type of condition you are aiming to improve. Even though CBD is non-intoxicating, you should always start with a low dose, as a younger dog’s body will need more time to adjust to it.
How Does CBD Work In Dogs?
All mammals, including dogs, have an endocannabinoid system present in their bodies. It’s a complex cell signaling network that is spread throughout the body. It consists of cannabinoid receptors (CB1, CB2) and certain enzymes.
The endocannabinoid system maintains homeostasis in the mammal’s body by keeping a balance between biological processes. CBD affects both the CB1 and CB2 receptors of this system and improves their overall functioning. It also impacts certain non-cannabinoid receptors in the brain.
The endocannabinoid system controls a dog’s anxiety, stress, sleep cycles, appetite, memory, pain perception, mood, and many other crucial functions. That’s why when you give your dog CBD, they end up feeling more relaxed, chilled out, stress-free, and at ease because it improves the working of their endocannabinoids.
It’s quite useful when given as a pain-relieving aid after vet visits and surgeries. Similarly, if many dogs feel scared during travel or going to a new place, then CBD can also be of great use.
How Can CBD Help Puppies?
We all know about CBD use cases in older or slightly younger dogs, but there are some special cases in which it can work greatly for puppies, or, say, dogs that are under the age of 1 year. Let’s learn about it in detail.
First, we have teething. This is quite painful for younger pups, resulting in inflamed gums and severe pain. CBD has anti-inflammatory properties, which can help in curbing pain during such times and in stopping unnecessary chewing done by the puppy to distract from the pain.
Second, we have immunity, which is quite fragile in young puppies. CBD oil can improve their immunity by improving their gut health. This keeps the puppy healthy, active, and in a good mood.
Third, we have hyperactivity; young puppies are full of energy and curiosity. They will keep following you around, constantly ask for attention, and chew and sniff everything that comes into their vision.
Sometimes this makes them a bit anxious and stressed as well, and giving them CBD-infused chews or CBD oil can make them feel calm and focused. It can also help them to sleep and recover better.
Finally, CBD can prevent allergies in puppies by triggering histamine release. It can keep your puppy protected from allergies caused by certain food items and foreign-content contact. CBD is also helpful in controlling seizures, and there are plenty of anecdotal reports from pet parents globally to vouch for it.
The Final Note
To sum it up, there’s no age barrier when it comes to giving CBD to dogs. You can give it to both young and old dogs. Though you’ll have to manage the dosage depending on your weight, CBD is scientifically proven to reduce anxiety, stress, and pain in dogs.
It can help dogs sleep and recover better, and it can even bring down seizure frequency and intensity. You should only buy pet-specific CBD products for your dogs, as giving them human CBD oil may result in allergies and severe effects.
CBD is completely non-intoxicating in nature, so you can give it to your dog safely without worrying about keeping a constant watch on them to look out for negative reactions.
But the market is now flooded with thousands of pet CBD brands, so you must read the label carefully and match the content with lab test reports before pressing the buy button. It’s always better to stick with trusted and well-tested brands like Colorado Botanicals.
