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3 Best Ways Cannabis Can Help With Pet Injuries
An acute type of sadness overwhelms us when our pets suffer an injury. Our cats, dogs, birds, hamsters, or other pets may not be able to explain in words how much pain they are in, but the look in their eyes or behaviour is enough to break our hearts.
So when they are in such pain, it is natural to want to do something proactive to get them to feel better and get them back to their old selves. Cannabis can help with this. Traditionally associated with stoners, researchers are now discovering the benefits of this plant. Although research is limited, there are indications of cannabis helping people suffering from chronic pain, anxiety, depression, PTSD, postpartum depression, diabetes, arthritis, multiple sclerosis, and more. Helping animals when they need to get better is also what cannabis is becoming known for.
How is Cannabis Helpful to Animals?
Cannabis interacts with our endocannabinoid system (ECS). The latter manages a wide range of essential systems in your body, including memory, mood, pain, metabolism, appetite, sleep, stress, reproductive functions, and the immune system. The ECS is present in every being, not only humans but also in animals.
The two main natural compounds extracted from the cannabis plant are cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). The latter has psychoactive properties that will make you feel high, while CBD has a subtler effect on the body, and it will not make you high.
What is fascinating about CBD and THC is that they have a similar chemical structure to your ECS. As a result, they can interact with your cannabinoid receptors. Accordingly, not only can cannabis help humans with certain medical conditions, but it can also help animals with their injuries.
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Three Ways Cannabis Helps with Pet Injuries
Cannabis Eases Pain
Managing pain is a top priority when pets are injured. While there is medication available on the market to help ease pain, it often comes with negative side-effects such as vomiting and diarrhea. Alternatively, CBD can ease the pain without causing side effects.
This natural compound affects an animal's neural transmissions, thus helping the body move towards homeostasis. Studies on the benefits of CBD on dogs have shown promising results. In a 2016 clinical trial, researchers showed how safe CBD is when given to dogs.
Cannabis Helps Wounds Heal Faster
It can be tricky and messy to keep your pet from fussing with an injury, so having a wound close quickly is ideal. CBD can help you with this. High-quality CBD oil, such as the one offered by Lazarus Naturals CBD, can help with wounds like avulsion injuries, which are caused when your pet is hit by a car or bitten by a dog.
CBD can also help with degloving wounds, which happen when the skin and tissue are torn from the muscle. CBD oil has anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, and analgesic properties that all help heal your pet's injury more quickly. Other wounds that benefit from CBD oil include incision wounds, burns, firearm injuries, and any puncturing of the skin (for example: glass in your dog's paw).
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Cannabis Fights Infections
Bacteria is present in all animals, but it can be irritating, harmful, and even serious when it causes infection. Cats can suffer from viral infections such as rabies. They can get fungal infections, parasitic infections caused by fleas and hookworms, and bacterial infections from salmonella poisoning, and cat-scratch disease. Dogs can also get infections, whether it is parasitic, viral, or bacterial.
What researchers observed through tests and trials is that CBD can kill bacteria, even if it’s resistant to antibiotics. Moreover, researchers found how quick CBD is in defeating bacteria. In one instance, it took CBD three hours to kill bacteria compared to antibiotics, which can take up to eight hours.
Administering CBD to Your Pet
The weight, age, and type of pet you have will determine the CBD dose they require. You must seek professional advice before giving your pet CBD. More than 0.3 percent of THC in the dosage could leave your animal high, dizzy, or worse, your pet could die.
Intoxication and Warning Signs
Ensuring that your pet’s cannabis medication is stored safely away where they cannot reach it is crucial to keep your pet safe. If your dog happens to ingest more than his required dose, he will become intoxicated. Signs of intoxication in animals include hyperactivity, disorientation, walking in an uncoordinated manner, and they can also become loud by barking or whining.
Intoxication can also lead to unpleasant side effects. These include signs such as vomiting and drooling. Your pet can start suffering from urinary incontinence as well. In some cases where the intoxication is severe, your pet may start trembling or worse, having seizures. The latter could cause your pet to end up in a coma.
Before Giving Your Pet Cannabis
Being guided by a professional is critical when it comes to giving your pet cannabis as animals require far different doses than we do. If you are thinking about it, it is best to speak to your vet so your pet can reap the full benefits of this natural compound.