CBD is still in the early stages of development. Tests all over the world are pointing to CBD’s potential to ease discomfort for both people and their pets. Researchers are excited about the possible future medical applications, but misinformation, half-truths, and shady dealings plague the industry. When it comes to the reality of CBD, these four facts might surprise you:
CBD is made from cannabis and hemp, but it doesn’t make you feel high.
Cannabidiol (CBD) is one of many chemical compounds called cannabinoids that are found in marijuana and hemp plants. CBD is thought to produce relaxation, reduced chronic pain, and reduced inflammation, but will not make you feel “stoned.” On the other hand, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is another cannabinoid found in marijuana plants and does cause the euphoric feeling cannabis is known to produce. As marijuana is still federally illegal, most CBD products use hemp oil, which means there will be no THC in the product.
A drug containing CBD has been approved by the FDA to treat seizure disorders.
Epidiolex, a CBD-based medication, has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration to address hard-to-treat seizure disorders in humans. Epidiolex is the first and only CBD medication to receive FDA approval since cannabis criminalization in 1937.
Your pet’s body makes cannabinoids already.
Humans and animals both have an endocannabinoid system, a complex network of cannabinoid receptors found in our brains, organs, connective tissues, glands, and immune cells. While the cannabinoids CBD and THC are created by cannabis and hemp plants, endocannabinoids (endo meaning ‘within’) are created in the body to interact with cannabinoid receptors and maintain homeostasis in humans and animals. When either cannabinoids or endocannabinoids link together with a receptor, it triggers a cellular balancing response. This balancing response leads researchers to believe CBD can help with a range of ailments including reducing inflammation, nausea, pain, and anxiety.
Read more about how Hemp Oil is thought to benefit pets in our blog post, “Is Hemp Oil Good for Pets?”
Not all CBD products are created equal.
When shopping for CBD pet products online, you have to be careful about the brands and products you give to your pet. Lab tests have shown that many products labeled and marketed for their CBD have very little or no CBD in them at all. Because there are no FDA approved over-the-counter CBD products, these brands aren’t held to the same quality or testing standards as other medications. Care 4 Pets knows that this is how the industry works, but that’s not the kind of company we want to be. So, to show you that we take the purity and potency of our products very seriously, we work directly with hemp farmers and lab test every batch of oils, sprays, and treats to make sure they meet our standards, and yours. Then we make those results public because we have nothing to hide!
You love your pets and want the best for them, but it can be a challenge to tell which brands are peddling snake oil and which are investing their time and resources to provide high-quality CBD products that are both pure and potent. For more information about which formulation of CBD and other naturally derived ingredients is best for managing your pet’s ailments, check out our short and quick Formula Finder Quiz!