There are different breeds of dogs today, but pugs remain to be a favorite. Since pugs are naturally small, this breed doesn’t take up too much space and can be lap dogs for years. Pugs are also very friendly with guests and are good with other types of pets.
Pugs are adorable breeds, but as a pet owner, you need to pay attention to their health and wellness. Pugs can live for 15 years, but they are prone to major health problems such as hip dysplasia and Pug Dog Encephalitis. Fortunately, using CBD for dogs can help lessen these risks.
Table of Contents
What Is CBD?
CBD or cannabidiol is a natural compound extracted from the hemp or cannabis plant. Although CBD has the same origin as marijuana, it has gained popularity in different parts of the globe because of its health benefits. Regular use of CBD can actually benefit dogs in a number of ways, just like how it improves the health and wellness of humans.
Unlike over-the-counter drugs, CBD works with the endocannabinoid system (ECS) found in the central and peripheral nervous systems of dogs. As CBD interacts with the cannabinoid receptors found in your dog’s ECS, it creates balance in the dog’s body and keeps it in a normal, healthy state.
One of the biggest misconceptions people have when it comes to CBD is that regular use can lead to addiction and significantly alter your dog’s behavior and cognitive functions. But unlike marijuana, CBD has minimal THC or tetrahydrocannabinol content and is not psychoactive. Letting your dog use CBD won’t make them “high” even in large doses.
CBD available in the market today only contains about 0.3% or less THC, while marijuana has 50% to 70% of THC.
What Are The Benefits Of CBD For Dogs?
Just like human beings, dogs can also tolerate high doses of CBD. Their bodies are naturally designed to positively react with cannabinoids to improve how their body functions. In fact, long-term use of CBD will not damage any of your dog’s organs.
Aside from your efforts in making sure that your furry friend is well-fed and physically active, adding CBD to their diet can significantly help in achieving your dog’s optimal health. CBD and CBD-infused products can provide the following benefits to dogs:
1. Prevents Arthritis
Dogs can suffer from arthritis. Once your dog’s joints are inflamed, they can suffer from stiffness and show signs of being lame even after long periods of rest. In order to cope with the pain, dogs usually lick the painful joint, causing unwanted patches of saliva staining. Arthritis can also cause your dog to become grumpier and move slower.
CBD is effective in preventing arthritis among dogs because it has natural anti-inflammatory properties. According to studies, CBD can treat inflammation caused by arthritis and slow down the progression of this degenerative disease.
Since CBD can treat inflammation in your dog’s joints, it can also prevent nerve damage caused by inflammation. Long-term CBD use has proven to minimize the frequency and severity of side effects from arthritis and other degenerative diseases as well.
2. Reduces The Risk Of Seizures
Seizures in dogs are caused by different factors. Brain tumors, brain trauma, kidney failure, liver disease, and certain allergies can trigger seizures. The most common seizure among dogs called idiopathic epilepsy is an inherited disorder passed within the same breed of dogs.
Some of the most common symptoms of seizures among dogs include falling over, shaking violently, foaming in the mouth, and accidental defecation and urination. Depending on the type of seizure, your dog can also possess odd behaviors such as chasing their tails for hours and seeing things that aren’t actually there.
Although seizures are not life-threatening, leaving the problem unaddressed can cause permanent brain damage to your dog. Fortunately, CBD can help reduce your dog’s risk of suffering from seizures.
CBD can effectively treat your dog’s seizures because it supplements the phytocannabinoids in your dog’s endocannabinoid system to restore balance. Whenever your dog goes through a seizure, the homeostasis or the stability of your dog’s internal environment lags behind and causes an imbalance in their bodily functions.
Through the phytocannabinoids supplied by CBD, the balance in your dog’s body is restored, and their body’s needs are met again. CBD can also calm down overactive neurons and better control seizures by interacting with the receptors found in your dog’s ECS.
3. Reduces Anxiety
Just like human beings, dogs can also suffer from anxiety. Whenever they are placed in a new or unfamiliar environment, dogs can develop excessive feelings of fear and worry, which can eventually lead to anxiety.
Although anxiety is typical for dogs of all breeds, leaving this problem untreated can result in behavioral, health, and other issues. Your once gentle and sweet pug can become aggressive and unsociable if they develop an anxiety disorder.
Aside from making sure that your dogs are placed in a safe environment, using CBD can also help in reducing anxiety. This works because the moment CBD enters your dog’s body, it reacts with the receptors in their brain to release more serotonin. CBD functions by enhancing your dog’s natural ability to produce and regulate serotonin.
Serotonin is a neurotransmitter responsible for regulating your dog’s social behavior and mood. Your dog can ward off anxiety and all of its affiliated symptoms if their body has normal levels of serotonin.
4. Increases Appetite
Your dog needs to eat right in order to stay healthy. They need to consume healthy foods to ensure that their body’s nutritional requirements are met, and they can effectively fight off illnesses and diseases. Eating right is essential to your dog’s health, which is why seeing them lose their appetite for days can be worrisome.
Some dogs are just picky eaters, and if you see yours skipping their favorite natural dog food for days, it doesn’t always mean that you should immediately take them to the vet. Loss of appetite is a minor problem that can be treated at home.
When your dog stops eating for days, use CBD. This natural compound is known to boost the metabolism of dogs, allowing them to become hungrier more often. The moment the hunger sets in, you can expect that your dog’s appetite will increase tenfold. This will motivate them to start eating again.
Because of this effect, it’s important not to go overboard when giving your dog CBD for appetite improvement. Letting your dog consume large doses of CBD in one sitting can speed up their metabolism at an unhealthy rate.
5. Fights Cancer
Dog tumors are similar to those affecting human beings. Your furry friend can also suffer from cancer because tumors from the abnormal growth of cells can also develop in their bodies. These tumors can significantly grow in size—from merely looking like a swollen part of their body to becoming a benign or malignant tumor.
Dogs can suffer from different kinds of tumors. Mast cell tumors, for example, are common among short-faced dog breeds such as pugs and French bulldogs. These tumors affect your dog’s blood cells and usually form in the skin.
Dogs can also suffer from lymphomas (tumor caused by excessive production of fatty tissues in the body), osteosarcoma (tumor caused by aging), and melanoma (tumor caused by pigmented skin cells).
Contrary to popular belief, a dog with cancer doesn’t immediately mean that they will eventually die. Depending on the kind of cancer your dog has, they can undergo surgical and non-surgical treatments to live a cancer-free life.
For non-surgical treatments, CBD is one of the most common and cheapest options available. CBD has natural components that can help dogs with cancer through the following ways:
● Reduces Pain: Cancer can cause your dog unbearable pain. When your dog has cancer, their bones and nerves start to press against each other, resulting in pain. Additionally, pain can also come from the therapies your dog undergoes to prevent the growth of tumors in their bodies.
And while drugs for pain relief are widely available in the market today, using these regularly can damage your dog’s liver and kidneys. Opioid-based drugs are known to cause dependence and, eventually, addiction.
To ensure that your dog doesn’t suffer from any of these, use CBD instead. CBD is an effective treatment for inflammation and chronic pain, minus the side effects.
Regular use of CBD also doesn’t build up a tolerance, which means that you don’t have to increase your dog’s CBD dosage in order to achieve the same results over time.
● Fights Tumor Growth: Managing the pain and symptoms affiliated with cancer isn’t enough for your dog to live a cancer-free life. Even if your dog no longer feels pain because of cancer and its treatments, if cancer is not treated from the source, they can still suffer from the disease after several years.
According to studies, CBD contains anti-tumor effects that can trigger cell suicide. This is especially true if CBD use is coupled with chemotherapy and radiotherapy.
Talk To Your Vet First
CBD can be very beneficial for pugs and other breeds of dogs. CBD itself binds positively with the cells in the dog’s body, making it harmless even after long-term use.
However, before you introduce CBD to your dog, it’s always best if you consult your veterinarian first. Medical professionals can provide recommendations on the type of CBD product and dosage suitable for your dog’s needs.
Dogs, regardless of the breed is one of the greatest human stress relievers of all time. You deserve to know the most important dog facts so you can handle your pooch better and avoid major accidents too! You’ll never know when they are useful.