People have all kinds of pets like guinea rabbits, hamsters, etc. But the most common these are dogs and cats. Humans keep these pets for many reasons, one of the major ones being the support and comfort they offer. Animals like dogs offer way more than this, serving a wide range of purposes both in private and public scenarios. Of all these compounds in the hemp plant, cannabinoids are the main constituents of CBD oil. You can learn more about this in this article here. It is extracted from the flowers, leaves, and stems of the plant.
Just like humans, pets are easily exposed to different ailments and diseases especially when they are not well taken care of. It is therefore necessary to keep them healthy given how important they are to us. This is why there is a need to have regular medical check-ups for them as well as proper medication for any health condition noticed.
A good place to start is administering CBD oil daily. It is a medication with several health benefits for both humans and animals. It is extracted from the hemp plant which is rich in different compounds including terpenes, flavonoids, fatty acids, essential oils, THC, and cannabinoids.
How CBD Oil is Extracted from Hemp
Because it is derived from the hemp plant, you will sometimes see it referred to as hemp oil. This is however not correct as hemp oil is only extracted from the plant’s seeds. There are different processes for extracting this oil from the plant. These include the following:
Solvent Extraction
Natural solvents like ethanol or olive oil may be used to extract the oil. At other times, solvents such as petroleum, propane, and butane can also be used but the problem with this is that they leave residues that may be toxic to your pet. There is also the challenge that even when extracted with natural solvents, the CBD content is low, meaning oil derived using solvents has a lower CBD concentration.
Extraction by CO2
This method uses carbon dioxide both in a liquid and gas referred to as supercritical to separate the oil from the plant. C02 is pumped into a high-pressure chamber containing the hemp plant. Pressure from the carbon dioxide will then break the plant down and secrete the oil.
Although producing it through this method is more expensive, it is safer than using solvents and it produces a higher concentration of CBD which makes it the preferred method.
Types of CBD
Cannabinoids are of three types: full-spectrum, broad-spectrum, and isolate. Full-spectrum and broad-spectrum contain a range of cannabinoids including CBN, CBC, CBA and CBG, and terpenes. It may also contain THC but in very low quantities. THC is the substance that gives cannabis its psychoactive effect and the legal limit allowed in the US is less than 0.3%. All these substances help to increase the effectiveness of the cannabinoids.
The third type is isolate which is its purest form. No other substance is included and it has no flavor or odor.
Buying a full or broad spectrum is much better for your pet as using any of these types produces what is called the “entourage effect” which helps to activate the endocannabinoid system in the body, making it more effective. You may learn more about this here.
How CBD works
Every mammal, including humans and animals, has an endocannabinoid system. This is a system that regulates major functions in the body like eating, sleeping, etc. This system contains receptors and enzymes that CBD oil binds to and stimulates, making this system work optimally. This is what makes it offer so many benefits.
How Safe is CBD Oil?
Generally, it is considered safe and rarely comes with side effects. It is a drug that works equally for both humans and animals. It may come with some side effects which are usually very minimal. They may include dry mouth, drowsiness, dizziness, and diarrhea. These mostly occur the first time you start administering it to your pet. Over time, these side effects will wear away.
Another important thing to note is that overuse or underuse of the product may also result in side effects, so getting the dosage right is important. Also, buying your product from a reputable licensed site professional is crucial as a lower quality product will likely result in side effects.
How to Buy the Best CBD Product
The hemp plant with its derived products is still a market that is yet to be regulated so many poor quality products do exist. With this in mind, how do you go about getting the best of products? You need to buy from reputable manufacturers and retailers like those that can be found here.
- Be sure you are buying a product that is organic and full or broad spectrum so you can have the full range of benefits in the oil.
- Check the extraction method and preferably, purchase one extracted using the C02 method.
- High-quality products are more expensive so it might serve as a precursor to buying a good product but even with this, take caution.
Request for a certificate of analysis or lab report that tells you what the amount of CBD in the product.
