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Cannabidiol, abbreviated as CBD, is one of the major cannabinoids found in the cannabis family of plants. The US Farm Act of 2018 legalized it at the federal level for medical and therapeutic uses. Due to this, manufacturers began introducing various types of cannabidiol (CBD) products for health and wellness purposes. They are finding widespread popularity among people and pet owners due to their health benefits along with the absence of side-effects at normal doses. The purpose of this article is to help you identify whether full-spectrum CBD or CBD isolate is best for your dog.
CBD For Dogs
CBD oil is a widely used cannabidiol product for treating the symptoms of ailments in dogs. Research shows that it brings relief from pain, inflammation, anxiety, seizures, and skin conditions. Besides, it is made using hemp plant strains that have less than 0.3% THC. This point is especially important as dogs are extremely sensitive to the psychotropic cannabinoid tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).
Cannabinoids like CBD and THC produce their effects in dogs by interacting with the cannabinoid receptors CB1 and CB2 of the endocannabinoid system (ECS). The psychotropic THC has an affinity towards CB1 receptors, which are mainly found in the central and peripheral nervous systems. Also, dogs have higher concentrations of these receptors in their hippocampus; this makes them sensitive to tetrahydrocannabinol. The therapeutic cannabidiol (CBD) interacts with CB2 receptors that are found in the spleen, skin, and the immune system in general. Due to these reasons, it is important to know the type of CBD extract used for making health and wellness products for dogs.
Full-Spectrum CBD
As the name suggests, full-spectrum CBD contains the complete range of cannabinoids, terpenes, and other phytochemicals naturally found in the hemp plant. This depends very much on the extraction process used for producing the hemp extract that is used for making CBD for dogs.
The main concern with using the full-spectrum CBD extract for making health and wellness products for dogs is the presence of THC. Because of the higher percentage of cannabinoid receptors in their body, overconsumption of full-spectrum cannabidiol products like oils or edibles can produce unwanted side-effects due to THC, like loss of balance. Having said that, the presence of the complete range of cannabinoids and terpenes in full-spectrum CBD gives it the added advantage of the entourage effect. This enhances the individual effect of each cannabinoid, and hence it is useful for treating the symptoms of a wide variety of ailments.
Related: Is your dog suffering from arthritis? CBD could help. Click here to learn more.
Listed below are the cannabinoids found in full-spectrum CBD:
- Cannabinol (CBN): This cannabinoid is useful for treating inflammation, pain, stimulating appetite, and preventing seizures.
- Cannabigerol (CBG): CBG is useful for soothing the discomforts due to irritable bowel disease (IBD), which is a generic term used for describing inflammatory disorders affecting the digestive tract. Also, studies have shown that it slows down the growth of cancerous cells.
- Cannabichromene (CBC): CBC reduces inflammation, pain, and has neuroprotective effects.
- Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC): This is a psychotropic cannabinoid that produces mind-altering and hallucinatory effects.
- Tetrahydrocannabivarin (THCV): This cannabinoid has neuroprotective effects, stimulates the appetite, and reduces panic attacks.
CBD Isolate
As the name suggests, CBD isolate is the purest form of cannabidiol, i.e. 99% pure CBD. It is free from other cannabinoids, flavonoids, terpenes, and other plant compounds found in the hemp plant. Besides, it is highly potent when compared to full-spectrum CBD. Some dog owners prefer using CBD isolate products instead of full-spectrum CBD products for their pets. This is because they wanted to avoid the risk of THC entering the body.
CBD isolate is made by removing all the unwanted compounds from the hemp extract that is produced by various extrication methods. This is done by purifying the extract through multistage filtration. The final product that you get is usually in the form of white crystalline powder with no noticeable taste. It can be added into carrier liquids like coconut oil, olive oil, or hemp seed oil for making CBD oil, or as an active ingredient in edibles like dog treats. Also, keep in mind that when administering pure CBD oil for dogs, there is a higher chance for cannabidiol overdosing because of its higher potency.
Is Full-Spectrum CBD Better Than CBD Isolate?
The choice between using full-spectrum CBD and CBD isolate for treating the ailments in dogs depends on the preference of dog owners. For instance, research has shown that full-spectrum CBD has more health benefits because of its entourage effect. But some pet owners do not use it because of its THC content. On the contrary, CBD isolate is free from THC, and it gives pure cannabidiol effects. But it has fewer health benefits due to the absence of the entourage effect. Also, it has a limited scope of dosage; it will not be effective below a certain dose, and above the maximum dose, it causes cannabidiol overdosing.
We hope that the information shared above will help you with selecting between full-spectrum CBD or CBD isolate health and wellness products for your dogs.
The post Is Full-Spectrum CBD or CBD Isolate Better For Dogs? appeared first on LA Weekly.
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