6 Things To Know About Using Hemp oil For Dogs

Using hemp oil to help your dog with pain and anxiety is a hot topic throughout the US. If you take a look online, you’ll find a lot of conflicting information, with many arguing for and against its use and presenting pros and cons for it’s application, especially with dogs.

To help balance the argument, we wanted to share the top 6 things you need to know about hemp oil and the ways it can be used to help dogs in distress.

1. What Actually Is hemp oil?

Hemp oil, which you may also know as Cannabidiol, is a compound which is commonly found as part of Cannabis and Hemp plants. It’s completely natural and offers a safe way to reduce anxiety and pain whilst also helping to promote regular body function in both humans and animals.

Given it doesn’t contain any intoxicating or hallucinating properties (we’ll cover that later on) it is often found as a key part of herbal and holistic medication, giving a clean and safe way to help treat a range of ailments.  

2. What Illness Is It Used For?

As we’ve mentioned above, typically hemp oil is used to help ease pain and reduce stress in those that take it. Fantastic results have been found with humans, helping those with issues such as Chronic Pain and Multiple Sclerosis live a far more comfortable life.

It’s also packed full of anti-inflammatory properties meaning it can help reduce swelling, stiffness and soreness in joints and historic injuries. For these reasons, it’s become very popular within the dog market, especially with certain breeds that suffer from hereditary health conditions.

Calming effects throughout the body also means hemp oil is useful for reducing the signs of nausea as well as stabilizing heart, digestive and neurological body functions. hemp oil really is a great all-round natural health product for whichever form of distress you, or your dog, find yourself in!   

3. Any Side Effects?

Whilst clinical trials are still ongoing for the use of hemp oil in dogs, there are some common side effects which humans can experience when medicating with hemp oil products. These include:

Feeling Sleepy - Given the calming properties of hemp oil, it can cause some dogs to become drowsy or tired when taken. Naturally, for a dog with high anxiety, you’d expect hemp oil to slow them down to a normal rhythm, but for those already feeling mellow, it may just send them off to sleep!  

LightHeaded - An extension of the above, hemp oil has also been shown to cause a mild reduction in blood pressure. Whilst not dangerous, it can cause a feeling of lightheadedness and slight disorientation.

Increased Thirst - In humans, taking hemp oil has led to some experiencing a dry mouth, with the general slowing down of the body also extending to saliva production. In dogs, this is likely to appear as though they are thirsty so expect your dog to make a beeline for the water bowl.      

4. How Much Should I Give My Dog?

Again based upon research into human use of hemp oil, there are optimum doses to administer depending on their size and the symptoms your dog shows. Oil is a fantastic way to give your dog hemp oil as it can be mixed directly into their food - no tablets or injections required.

As a general rule, here’s what we suggest:

Under 25lbs dogs: 10 drops

26-50lb dogs: 20 drops

Over 50lb dogs: 30 drops

Remember, every dog is different so it’s always best you keep an eye on their behavior and adjust accordingly!

5. Dispelling The Myths - Is It Safe?

Many people question the use of hemp oil given it is so commonly found in Cannabis. The psychoactive effects humans commonly witness from Cannabis actually come from a different component of the plant called THC.

The way THC brings those psychedelic effects to the body is caused by interaction with the CB1 and CB2 nerve receptors in the brain and throughout the body. But don’t worry, hemp oil does not bind to these receptors and instead works in conjunction with other areas of the body to bring those calming and relaxing effects we discovered earlier.

Whilst the different compounds go some way to dispelling the myth of hemp oil, the biggest mistake people make is where hemp oil typically comes from. It’s not Cannabis at all, it’s a plant called Hemp. Whilst Hemp sits in the same natural family as Cannabis, the key difference is that Hemp has little to no THC, therefore no risks to your dog!  

6. Does That Mean It’s Legal?

Absolutely - by having no direct association to Cannabis it’s completely legal within the US. With industrial Hemp having less than 0.3% THC content, it is not subject to the restrictions placed on Cannabis. In fact, as the health benefits become more and more widely known, it is often a go to prescription for veterinary professionals nationwide, using it in conjunction with other medication to make unwell dogs a little more comfortable.