Best CBD for Dogs: Treats or Tincture?
The CBD market has exploded over the past few years, resulting in an abundance of different CBD products for both people and pets. If you’re a dog mom or dad and are interested in supporting your furry friend’s wellbeing with CBD, you’ve likely stumbled across a few different products designed with dogs in mind.
CBD tinctures and treats are by far the most popular options when it comes to giving CBD to their pets, although you will find some companies also offer CBD capsules that are meant for pets. For the purpose of this article, however, we’ll be covering CBD tinctures and treats.
Why give CBD to your dog in the first place?
We’re glad you asked.
How Can CBD Benefit Your Dog?
Like all things CBD, giving CBD to dogs (and other animals) all comes down to the way the cannabinoid works in harmony with the endocannabinoid system (ECS).
Were you aware that, just like you, your dog has an ECS? It’s true! All animals actually do. Save for the sea sponge, all animals contain an endocannabinoid system that functions very similar to that found in humans.
What exactly does your dog’s ECS do?
Much of the same thing it does for you. The ECS, in both dogs and their human counterparts, is responsible for the following functions:
- Mood regulation
- Memory
- Muscle movement
- Digestive function
- Appetite
- Balance and Coordination
When the ECS is balanced and functioning smoothly, your dog will likely display symptoms of robust health in all of these areas. When the ECS becomes a bit out of whack, your dog’s wellbeing in these particular areas does the same.
Seeing that CBD supports endocannabinoid system function, giving your dog a CBD treat or tincture may help bring back balance to the ECS and support overall stability.
So, what’s the best CBD for dogs that might need a little ECS support?
Let’s take a closer look.
CBD Oil vs. CBD Treats for Dogs
Giving your dog a treat is easy. Giving a liquid tincture, maybe not so much. Does this mean treats or chews are the best option when it comes to giving your dog a regular serving of CBD? Not exactly.
Here we’ll look at both CBD tinctures designed with dogs in mind compared to CBD dog treats to see what might be the best option for your best bud.
CBD Pet Tinctures
CBD pet tinctures work similarly to the CBD tincture you might take yourself. They’re designed to be taken orally. This means that one way or another, you’re going to have to administer this liquid substance to your dog. While some dogs jump at the chance to take anything new, not all dogs are keen on their owners forcing a foreign liquid down their throats.
Guess what? You don’t have to give your dog a CBD tincture orally. You can add the desired serving size directly to their a tasty treat.
Most CBD pet tinctures make it easy to administer the desired amount you want them to take directly from the dropper. Most CBD pet tinctures will come with recommended servings for dogs, but this isn’t true for every pet tincture on the market.
Stephanie McGrath D.V.M., veterinarian and assistant professor of neurology at Colorado State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, ran some of the first studies on CBD and dogs. In her preliminary research, she used 2.5mg per kilogram. In more recent trials, she’s used twice this amount.
The best advice when beginning your dog on CBD oil, is to “start low and go slow,” according to Casara Andre D.V.M, who founded Veterinary Cannabis Education & Consulting, an online resource for pet parents, professionals and businesses interested in using cannabis for pets. “Numbers are really useful,” Andre says, “but cannabis is a very individualized medicine.”
CBD Pet Treats
CBD pet treats or chews are something most dogs would be happy to make part of their regular routine. What dog doesn’t love treats?
CBD dog treats offer an extremely convenient and easy way to give your dog a serving of CBD. Are they the best option to give your dog daily, though? Maybe and maybe not. It all depends on the dog and how much CBD you desire to give them each day.
Some dogs require special diets that don’t allow for the extra calories treats contain. They also might have dietary needs that make digesting the ingredients added to some CBD pet treats difficult.
There’s also your dog’s size to take into consideration. A 2mg pet treat might be great for your Chihuahua but won’t do much for your Great Dane. Larger dogs that require increased milligram sizes of CBD because of their weight would need quite a few treats in order to harness CBD’s beneficial effects.
Which Is The Best CBD for Dogs? Treats or Tinctures?
Which CBD product would your dog best benefit from?
Like we said, it all comes down to your pet’s size and individual needs.
Andre says that giving dogs a tincture instead of a treat makes it easier to adjust serving sizes accordingly. Using a tincture really allows you to head universal CBD advice that suggests to “start low and go slow.”
With a CBD tincture, you have the ability to adjust the serving size you give your dog. With CBD dog treats, you simply don’t have that option. CBD dog treats are made with a specific serving size and don’t allow much room for adjustment.
Final Thoughts About the Best CBD for Dogs
When it comes down to it, it depends. Tinctures are great for larger dogs or when you want to give only a specific serving. Treats are also great for treat time, and much more convenient.
No matter what reason has brought you to using CBD for your dog, don’t forget to have realistic expectations. While preliminary research and clinical trials have shown CBD can be helpful for dogs, larger studies are needed to fully grasp CBD’s effectiveness on our best furry friends.
We recommend talking to your vet before giving your dog CBD, whether in the form of a tincture or a treat. When you do decide to go ahead and give your dog CBD, make sure the product you’re purchasing is third party tested and has the lab results to prove it.
Most dog owners would agree that their pet is part of their family, which is why choosing a safe and effective CBD pet product is so important. At Astir, we love pets of all shapes and sizes and know how important your pet’s wellbeing truly is. We invite you to take a look at our CBD Dog Treats to determine the best CBD for your dog’s overall wellbeing.
