From reducing anxiety to supporting poor coats, lately, CBD is often the go-to health aid for help with an ocean of health issues. And with research backing its effectiveness, CBD is standing out amongst a sea of your latest and greatest health aids.
With all that success has come an array of CBD items claiming to be the new best one for you and your pet. But now, there are almost too many CBD items and it’s causing a whole lot of confusion for pet owners, especially for those who have never given CBD to their pet before.
To help, we are bringing you our 10 favorite CBD items. We’ll cover which ones are the best for those unfamiliar with CBD, which ones are great for those already familiar with it, along with reasons why you may prefer one over another. But before we do that, let’s talk about what CBD even is.
What is CBD?
CBD items are made by extracting CBD (cannabidiol) and other compounds similar to it from hemp plants. It’s then traditionally mixed with a carrier oil, typically an MCT oil like coconut oil, but sometimes the seeds of the hemp plant are used instead to great results. This gives us CBD oil, which is the most well-known CBD item.
Hemp plants, unlike marijuana plants, are cannabis plants that contain very low amounts of THC (tetrahydrocannabinol). When THC is consumed in the amounts you find in marijuana plants, there is enough of the chemical in the body to produce the high we associate with these crops.
CBD and THC are both cannabinoids that interact with a regulatory system called the endocannabinoid system (ECS). Where most regulatory systems specialize in carrying out roles that promote particular bodily functions, the endocannabinoid system focuses on keeping the regulatory systems themselves in check, especially when they are overworking to correct a health issue. This balance and stabilization process is called homeostasis.
And because the regulatory systems in our bodies are constantly working to keep us alive and healthy, the endocannabinoid system’s help is always in demand. From the immune system that is always on the lookout for nasties to the nervous system’s fight-or-flight process running 24/7.
And in a similar way to how the ECS helps out the other regulatory systems, the cannabinoids in cannabis help balance and restore the ECS. This is key because the body doesn’t have the means to support the ECS in the same way it supports others.
1. CBD Oils For Dogs
First on our list is the tried-and-true, CBD oil. Without a doubt, CBD oil made by InnovetPet is the most popular form of CBD we give our dogs. This is largely because it’s super easy to give, customize the dosage, and you can make CBD items like homemade CBD treats with them.
This is why CBD oil gets our recommendation as the best CBD item to try when you’ve never given it to your dog before. Most dogs have no issue with the oil’s grassy flavor. In fact, many love it.
And while we can’t expect our dogs to hold the oil under their tongue, CBD oil will still provide the fastest onset of effects vs. any of the other items on our list. When your pup is feeling anxious, CBD oil’s fast effects really come in handy.
CBD is immensely popular among dog owners because it can help our puppers out with a long list of health issues, from helping with pain to helping dogs with cancer.
2. CBD Oil For Cats
CBD isn’t only great for helping improve our dogs’ health, it’s equally as great for supporting our cats’ health as well. And like with dogs, CBD oil is again the most popular form to give to our cats.
One thing you might notice with cat CBD treat that you don’t see with dog CBD oil is cat CBD is sometimes infused with catnip. Cats aren’t as big of a fan of CBD’s grassy flavor, but catnip can turn that right around. Another thing you’ll likely notice is your cat’s CBD oil is both cheaper and less concentrated than your dog’s CBD oil to account for their smaller size.
Your pet’s weight is the greatest indicator by far in how much CBD they will need.
3. CBD Oil For Horses
Move over cats and dogs, you’re not the only ones that can enjoy all the benefits of CBD. In fact, thanks to all mammals having an endocannabinoid system, pets like our majestic horses can benefit from it in the exact same ways.
When you have a horse, CBD oil for horses by InnovetPet is always a great item to have on hand. Horses notoriously struggle with anxiety and mobility issues, especially ones where excessive inflammation causes or exacerbates the symptoms. While CBD supports health across the board, it helps with some issues more than others, and you can probably guess which issues are at the top of that list. That’s right, anxiety, pain, and excessive inflammation.
With our adorable felines, we saw that cat CBD items tend to be both cheaper and less concentrated in CBD than ones for dogs due to their smaller size. As you may have guessed, CBD for horses tends to be more expensive and concentrated in CBD than CBD items for other animals.
The only difference between your basic cat, dog, human, or horse CBD oil is simply the amount in it.
4. CBD Capsules For Dogs
Where now CBD is given for well, basically, everything, in the beginning, the main reason CBD was used was for treating drug-resistant forms of epilepsy.
We mentioned above how CBD oil can easily be turned into other CBD items like treats, but without a doubt, the easiest way to transform it is by simply throwing it into easy-to-give capsules.
CBD capsules are fantastic when you don’t want to mess around with precision dosages, and in most cases, you really don’t need a precision dosage, a ballpark works fine. And speaking of messes, the capsules are great for preventing spillages, and just like other oils, CBD oil can be a bit of a pain to clean.
5. CBD Dog Treats
While you can certainly make CBD treats at home, even easier is just buying CBD dog treats. Great for on the go, and who doesn’t love rewarding their dog with a tasty treat that’s fabulous for their health.
You can find various kinds of CBD treats from your traditional hard treat to soft chews great for small muzzles, older pups, and delicate teethies.
After trying CBD oil, CBD treats are an excellent CBD item to adventure to next. Like capsules, you’re essentially stuck to making dosage increases by the treat, as breaking a treat up to change the dosage isn’t recommended. This is because the CBD extract might not be evenly spread throughout the treat.
6. CBD Peanut Butter
There is no mistaking the fact that our dogs simply love peanut butter, but the hard truth is it’s not the healthiest snack because of all those calories.
And while those calories aren’t going anywhere, by infusing peanut butter with hemp CBD we can significantly make some strides in turning it into a healthy treat for our pups.
One thing you’ll notice with CBD peanut butter is they often include additional goodies like flax seeds and turmeric. Now while those things may keep it from being the CBD item we recommend to newcomers, they earn CBD peanut butter a spot in your cabinet where it can sit next to your pet’s CBD oil.
7. Hemp Topicals and Balms
Our dogs are no strangers to dry, flaky, rough, and cracked skin, and one of the biggest places they can struggle with poor skin is on their toe pads. Besides being susceptible to cuts, cuts on the toe pads can take longer to heal because of the constant pressure and wear-and-tear your pet puts on them when walking. This can turn a minor cut into a big mess overnight.
That’s why it’s always a great idea to have a skin-supporting balm in your dog’s first aid kit for taking action fast. And thanks to its ability to soothe pain and help with excessive inflammation, CBD hemp balms are the best of the best.
But perhaps the best thing about CBD topicals and balms is they are very unlikely to interact with your pet’s CYP enzyme system, which is known for its role in metabolizing many prescription drugs.
8. CBD Mobility Support
For our last three CBD items, we are looking at common supplements for dogs that now feature CBD. Kicking off the bunch are mobility support aids.
Mobility support wellness supplements typically feature ingredients like glucosamine, purMSM, and chondroitin. And now, it is common to find CBD included in this group.
CBD on its own can help alleviate symptoms of mobility diseases like hip dysplasia and osteoarthritis by lower inflammation, such as swelling in the joints that not only can cause pain but may also make it harder for your traditional mobility-supporting ingredients to work. When in tandem with the others, and you have an incredibly potent mobility support aid.
9. CBD Multivitamins
When you’re concerned your dog’s regular chow isn’t providing them all that they need or looking to help boost an older dog’s nutrition, a multivitamin is a great way to give them that support.
And when you include CBD in it, which promotes homeostasis that supports and rebalances the regulatory systems vital for health, your multivitamin just got a whole lot better.
Besides CBD, other great things to look for in a multivitamin include krill oil, glucosamine, COQ10, lecithin, and vitamins and minerals such as niacin, zinc, iron, magnesium, Vitamin A, Vitamin D, and beta-carotene.
10. CBD Probiotics
If your dog’s digestion is a frequent complaint, this last CBD item is going to be your favorite. Probiotics are all the rage and for a good reason.
The microbiome in yours, mines, and your pet’s gastrointestinal system is incredibly important to our health and supports it in a surprising number of ways.
Not only can a poor gut microbiome be the culprit behind your dog’s rancid breath, but it can also be the reason your cat’s been acting more nervous lately. Probiotics and CBD are a match made in heaven for help with digestion.
Final Thoughts
When looking to give your best furnugget’s health extra support, giving them supplements along with plenty of exercises is frequently seen as the big thing to do. But unlike exercise, there are lots of concerns about whether supplements are truly worth it.
The truth is most supplements do little to nothing, however, there are a few key ones that have real and plentiful research backing them.
And without a doubt, CBD is one of them with its unique ability to support health in a very natural way by promoting homeostasis.
Now, while CBD does support wellness across the body in many ways, remember, the big way it supports health is by helping the body better regulate inflammation along with calming a heightened nervous system.
But when a heightened nervous system can result in anxiety, depression, pain, and muscle convulsions and excessive inflammation is found at the center of many diseases from cancer to arthritis, CBD becomes an irreplaceable aid.
Like all the best supplements, CBD is very unlikely to cause side effects. Special care should be given if your pet is on prescription medication due to potential interactions, as both CBD and the drug may be metabolized by the same system. Ask your veterinarian about CBD if you’re concerned about this.
Again, if you’re unfamiliar with CBD or it’s the first time your dog, cat, or horse has ever had it, we suggest CBD oil.
From delivering the fastest onset of effects to easily being able to customize its dosages in very tiny increments, CBD oil offers a delightful range of advantages to those new to CBD.
