CBD Tinctures for Animals: Tips and Tricks
by Brianna Newton-Jackson
Green Revolution’s Bella & Max Salmon-flavored High CBD Tincture.
I am sure by now you have seen quite a variety of CBD products available at your local pet shop--yet another piece of the recent CBD popularity boom… but how do we know if CBD actually could help our favorite furry companions?
Until last summer, my husband and I never really felt we had a reason to explore the world of CBD for our dogs. That was until our 8 year old pup, Lylia, took a rough tumble while playing her favorite game of catch. When she wouldn’t walk back to us, we knew it must be something serious.
After an emergency vet visit, we learned that Lylia had torn cruciate ligaments in both knees. For us, both financially and physically (due to her age), we could not opt in to surgery, and I knew we needed to look into alternative options to help her heal and relieve the pain. Coming from a world of studying and practicing natural medicine, I already knew I did not want to keep Lylia on pain medications and pharmaceutical anti-inflammatories long term.
Trying CBD for Pets
After researching natural remedies to manage pain and best promote her healing process, I stopped into Hashtag to purchase Green Revolution’s Bella & Max salmon-flavored high CBD tincture, perfect for both cats & dogs. This water based tincture is easy to mix into anything, and the salmon taste helps to hide the earthy cannabis flavor that your pet may normally avoid.
Neighborhood walks with Lylia before we introduced CBD tinctures to her wellness routine.
We started a routine of adding 1 drop of tincture for every 10 lbs. of her body weight (so for Lylia at 65 pounds, we used about 6-7 drops) to her morning and evening kibble, for a twice daily dosage. It is so important to remember to start very slow when incorporating cannabis-derived and/or hemp-derived CBD into your pet’s wellness routine. They are a lot more sensitive to cannabinoids, especially THC, than us humans.
In the beginning, we accidently gave Lylia a few drops too many. Don’t worry though, it just makes your pet pretty sleepy and sensitive to sound & touch for a few hours at most. If it happens, don’t panic--let them cuddle you and just nap it off. I promise they will be okay.
Another huge tip: Even when you get the dose right, your fur baby is going to be VERY THIRSTY after they get their dose. Be a courteous stoner, and be sure to always have a fresh bowl of water for them!
It has now been about 8 months since we started our little bear on her CBD journey, and it has been a complete life saver for us all. Within the first few weeks, we went from having to wheelbarrow her everywhere to finally being able to go on short walks around the block.
Today, she is back to her energetic self, ready to play fetch for hours on end if she was allowed. Even though her injury has healed some, she will always deal with chronic pain, so we make sure to keep her dose consistent so she can continue to feel on top of the dog house.
Aging Pets and CBD
Griffin, one of our favorite Hashtag senior dogs, also enjoys the benefits of CBD.
Just like us, our pets start to feel more pain, and maybe even a little anxiety as they age. CBD, whether it is from a cannabis or hemp source, is a fantastic resource to help them just feel a little better. As they age, their quality of life matters most.
After our success in using CBD for Lylia, I wanted to check in with my coworkers to find out their experience using CBD for their pet companions.
Griffin getting his dose of Fairwinds Bacon Flavored Companion tincture on a tasty dog biscuit.
“When Griffin's hips are bothering him, I give him a dropper (~14 drops) of Fairwinds' CBD Companion in his crunchies. He's 90 lbs., so he can take a pretty big dose. After the drops, and getting a good night's sleep, I've noticed that he has more of a "spring in his step" on our morning walk ...
Pro tip: crunchies, drops, a dusting of parmesan--It's a dog parfait! … Oh, and be sure to fill the water bowl! He gets dry mouth!” — Kim Bevington
“A few years ago my best, furry friend, Kangaroo, was having difficulty getting around. He was a 10 lbs. miniature Dachshund who spent his whole life running, jumping and getting into all kinds of mischief. But as he grew older, our walks became shorter, his naps more frequent and I could tell he wasn’t feeling his best. One morning when I got up to take Kangaroo on his morning walk he couldn’t get out of bed. The disappointed look in his eyes spoke more than words possibly could. When I took him in to visit our trusted vet, she recommended we try a variety of anti-inflammatory and pain management medications.
Although her prescriptions did the trick for managing his discomfort, they left him groggy and disoriented, ultimately leading him back to his bed for days on end. So I decided to try a different approach. I gave him a few drops of Fairwinds Companion tincture instead of his usual cocktail of pills and injections. Not only did he love the taste of it but after a few days, he was up and back to his old antics again: chewing every shoe in the house and playing games with my younger Lab, Nessy. For years we fought back the pains of old age together, just Kangaroo, me and our Companion. And although Kangaroo has gone to a better place, I know the last few years we spent together were some of the best he ever had.” — Jeff Eckenrode