CBD or Cannabidiol is one of the better-known cannabinoids, or natural compounds that occur in the Cannabis Sativa plant. CBD oil typically comes from the hemp plant. Once harvested, the CBD is extracted and mixed with an oil to result in the consistency you see in products today.

Unlike Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), CBD is not psychoactive, meaning it doesn’t result in the distinctive ‘high’ that most people associate with marijuana. For this reason, as well as its ability to provide natural relief from a whole host of pain and anxiety disorders, CBD is growing in popularity around the world.

Despite growing popularity, CBD still suffers from something of an identity crisis, with some people still people failing to make the distinction between CBD and marijuana. While it’s true that CBD and marijuana do come from the same plant, the chemical makeup of the Cannabis Sativa plant means that the plants harvested for CBD and marijuana have different properties. To produce CBD oil, a higher CBD concentration of CBD and minimal levels of THC are required, leading producers to favor the hemp plant.

Like for humans, CBD and hemp oils have long been used in traditional communities to treat pain in dogs resulting from a range of illnesses including cancer and muscular injuries.

By interacting with the dog’s endocannabinoid system, the CBD can help to effectively manage many different types of pain. For this reason, CBD is growing in popularity as a tool to improve the quality of life in dogs or as a dual treatment method with more traditional therapies.

For dogs with cancer, some studies have suggested that CBD can even lead to a process called cancer apoptosis, which is essentially the death of the cancer cells. It’s worth noting that CBD as a complete treatment method for cancer has not been proven and the research is in its very early days. Regardless, more traditional cancer treatment methods for dogs can be prohibitively expensive, costing anywhere from $3,000 to $10,000 and can involve many of the same negative side effects as in humans, such as vomiting, and loss of appetite.

While more research is needed in this area to fully explore the potential of CBD to cure disease, it remains highly regarded as a form of pain relief.

CBD use for dogs, like humans, poses minimal risk. The biggest risks that do exist stem from the lack of regulation surrounding CBD products. Due to the lack of regulation, there are some products on the market that have not undergone adequate testing and not only contain negligible quantities of CBD, also contain higher levels of THC than you may expect. Use of these products may lead to THC toxicity in your dog. Essentially, they may get “high”.

As vets legally cannot prescribe CBD as a treatment option for pain or illnesses in dogs, many owners are effectively going in blind when choosing to dose their animals. The most important thing when looking for a CBD product for your pet is to do your research. Look thoroughly at reviews and begin by testing a small amount to make sure the product is what it claims to be.

Related: Should Your Pet Take CBD Oil Everyday?