CBD Oil and Senior Dogs, What You Need To Know
Posted by Amy Hempe on
Senior dogs come with unconditional love and years of devotion with them. Conscientious dog owners generally stay on top of potential healthy issues to ensure that their dogs spend final years in comfort.
One issue that catches many dog owners off-guard is age-related anxiety. Whether it is a result of dementia, or fear resulting from diminished hearing, or pain from other serious health issues, you may find your senior dog suddenly barking at nothing. This can happen at all hours, disrupting your sleep as you try and calm down your agitated pooch. Even worse, your dog may have attacks of sudden grouchiness or genuine fear causing him to snap at someone. This might appear to be utterly out of character, but it is now something that you have to deal with.
Absolutely discuss this new behavior with your vet to see if there is a major health issue causing it. Then consider asking your vet about using CBD oil.
CBD, or cannabidiol, is the medical component of cannabis and is separate from THC, the chemical responsible for causing a euphoria or “high”. In fact, THC can be potentially toxic to dogs, so you want to ensure that your CBD oil contains less than 0.3% of THC.
According to PetMD.com, CBD oil can be used to treat seizures, anxiety, nausea, gastro-intestinal issues, and arthritic pain. This is not something that is going to get your dog high, or make him “freak out.” Properly dosed, your dog will simply have anxiety or other symptoms calmed and show behavior reminiscent of his younger self.
An informal survey of people who have used CBD oil with their senior dogs yields glowing testimonials. One doggy daycare worker says, “We have a senior Great Dane who takes CBD as needed, and it is amazing how much he calms down and enjoys his stay when he takes his meds.” Another person says, “My friend uses it on his ten-year-old beast of a dog, and the boy is running around and very happy.” People also cite its affect on joint pain, allowing dogs to become more agile and playful.
If you find that joint pain is causing issues with your dog being able to get up out of bed quickly enough to go to the bathroom, consider using a waterproof dog bed cover as well as CBD oil.
Find out what you are getting when looking for CBD oil. Depending on which state you live in, there could be a degree of difficulty in obtaining it. States differ regarding cannabis laws, although many states that still outlaw marijuana allow for CBD oil without any THC. Find out about holistic veterinary services in your area.
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- Tags: Dog Health, Senior Dogs, Veterinary