WHAT IS CBD?
Cannabidiol (CBD) is a natural chemical component of the cannabis plant that is commonly used to reduce stress, pain, anxiety, insomnia and other mood-related symptoms in humans and pets.
Before you get worried about your dog getting ‘high’ and raiding the treat cupboard, let us assure you that our CBD products don’t contain significant amounts of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).
THC is the chemical component of cannabis that is psychoactive. Our products are made from hemp, which contains only 0.3% THC or less in the flowering heads and leaves. This means there is no risk of your doggo becoming stoned or sick.
You can think of CBD as a supplement that can be used to help biological processes. We use two types of CBD in our products:
Broad-Spectrum
CBD isolate
Broad-spectrum CBD is made from the whole plant, which means it contains other beneficial compounds such as terpenes and flavonoids. These compounds are all thought to work together to produce more beneficial effects, also known as the ‘entourage effect’.
CBD isolate is just like it sounds – pure CBD that has been isolated from all the other compounds in the plant!
HOW IT WORKS
All mammals have an endocannabinoid system (ECS) which plays an important role in emotional and physiological stability. This ECS produces its own endocannabinoids to travel throughout the body relaying messages to and from the brain, which are a type of neurotransmitter.
Neurotransmitters are basically chemical messengers that allow your cells to talk to one another. Endocannabinoids are thought to play a modulating role on other types of neurotransmitters, which are related to pain perception and inflammation.
By consuming phyto-cannabinoids like CBD, it changes the endocannabinoid activity by stimulating the ECS indirectly. Cannabinoids - phyto or biological, bonds to two types of cannabinoid receptors (known as CB1 and CB2) which are found in both the brain and throughout the body. Cannabinoids like CBD is thought to work by interacting with these receptors to modulate different types of pain perception including chronic pain, nerve pain, joint pain, migraines, and fibromyalgia.
CB1 receptors are found throughout the Central Nervous System. These cannabinoid receptors play a role in sleep, mood, and pain sensation.
Receptors of the: Brain, Gastrointestinal Tract, Lungs, Muscles, Reproductive Organs, Vascular System
Which may help re-balance the following conditions:
Anxiety, Bowel Disease, Cardiovascular Disease, Epilepsy, Nausea, Seizures, Stress.
CB2 receptors are found throughout the Peripheral Nervous System. These receptors help reduce inflammation throughout the body.
Receptors of the : Bone, Immune Cells, Liver, Pancreas, Skin
Which may help re-balance the following conditions:
Arthritis, Chronic Pain, Cancer, Inflammation, Loss of Appetite, Nausea
Receptors of the: Bone Marrow, Brainstem, Immune System, Liver, Pancreas
SIDE EFFECTS
Your number one concern is probably whether or not your canine companion would experience any side effects from consuming CBD.
There are a few mild side effects of CBD reported in humans:
Dry Mouth
CBD may temporarily decrease the production of saliva, making you feel thirsty.
Lowered blood pressure
High doses have been reported to cause a temporary drop in blood pressure. Though the drop is small, it might create a momentary feeling of light-headedness.
Drowsiness
A big benefit of CBD is the calming effect it has which provides relief from anxiety. Higher doses may cause drowsiness.
Diarrhea
When taking a CBD product for the first time, you might experience runny stools due to the use of medium chain triglyceride (MCT) oil as a carrier oil for CBD. As your body gets used to it, this will stop.
These side effects can most likely be avoided by making sure you stick to recommended doses for dogs and ensuring your dog is well hydrated. Always consult your local holistic veterinarian if you have doubts, especially if your dog has any pre-existing medical conditions.
BENEFITS OF CBD
The use of CBD in products for consumption is relatively new. That means things are changing fast, and new research is underway to understand the therapeutic benefits. Most of what is known about CBD is from studies focused on humans.
We’re not here to make false claims and empty promises.
The health of your dog is our first priority.
Anecdotally, we have seen huge benefits to using CBD for our own pets. We hear many positive experiences from our customers as well (read reviews here). After giving their dogs CBD products, people have noted improvements in stress and anxiety levels. It is also thought to be helpful for reducing the frequency of seizures and inflammation associated with joint pain.
We here at Pawsitive Co are following the research and regulations around CBD and are committed to transparent communication with our customers as this field evolves.
WHAT IS THE
RIGHT DOSE FOR MY DOG?
There are no standard dosing guidelines published yet. The best practice for dosing is similar to that of other dog supplements- to adjust depending on your dog’s size and weight as well as according to the reason for giving CBD.
Regular Dosage
If you are using CBD to boost your dog’s general health and wellness or to help with less severe conditions such as allergies, minor skin conditions, low appetite, minor stress and anxiety, digestive issues, moderate inflammation, aches, and pains:
0.25 mg of CBD per pound of body weight per day.
Therapeutic Dosage
If your dog suffers from chronic pain, severe arthritis and joint inflammation, mobility issues, seizures, severe anxiety, or extreme nausea:
0.5 mg of CBD per pound of body weight per day.
Example Dosing calculation:
If your dog weighs 20lbs and is generally healthy, you want to give a regular dose.
In this case, you just multiply his weight by 0.25 to get 5mg (20lbs x 0.25mg/lb =5mg)
You can always split this total daily dose to give half of it in the morning and half later in the day.
If you can predict when your dog tends to be anxious (for example, during a thunderstorm or car ride), we recommend giving CBD at least 30 minutes before exposure to the stressful event.
FIND THE BEST QUALITY CBD
As the popularity of CBD oil increases for both human and pet use, there are more and more products becoming available. It’s important to do your research to make sure the products you choose are safe, and of high quality.
You want a product that is free from contaminants. You also want to be sure it has a high concentration of good quality CBD.
When you choose Pawsitive Co products, you can rest easy knowing that the supplement you are giving your dog is:
Organic
We ensure our all-natural CBD hemp oils don’t contain pesticides, fungicides, or harmful solvents, because the health of our furry friends is our top priority.
Lab-tested
We can guarantee the purity of our oils because we do third-party testing and are transparent about the results.
Rich in CBD
Some brands may claim their product is a CBD oil, but in actuality contain such tiny amounts that it may not help your dog. We provide a certificate that tells you the amount of CBD in the product and ensure there is no more than a trace amount of THC.
Great value
The higher the quality and purity of CBD oil, the more expensive it is. We believe our price point is fair considering we guarantee a pure product through transparent testing.
WE HAVE YOUR DOG’S BEST INTEREST
We want what’s best for our furry clients. Period.
We use all these products for our own furry family members and have seen positive results.
We want every dog who suffers from anxiety, joint pain, and mobility issues to have the best chance at a happier, healthier life.
We promise to update our products and recommendations based on emerging research.
Please speak to a holistic veterinarian about whether CBD products are right for your dog.