Dog Seizures CBD – Does It Help Your Pet?

If you are having any doubts about the effects of CBD on dog seizures, you have come to the right place. Anecdotal evidence suggests that CBD products are highly effective in treating dogs with epilepsy and seizures. The AKC Canine Health Foundation (AKCCHF) conducted a clinical trial to study the effects of CBD in dogs with drug-resistant epilepsy.

The results of the study were promising, and more research is following up on the subject at the moment. The following article provides information on dog seizures CBD and how CBD can help cure your pet.

What Are Dog Seizures?

Dog epilepsy or seizure disorder is a common condition affecting millions of dogs across the globe. It is the most common neurological disorder seen in dogs. Estimates say that over 5.7% of the canine population worldwide suffers from this condition. Abnormal and uncontrolled electrical activity in the pet’s brain results in epilepsy. Seizures are the critical symptom that helps diagnose canine epilepsy. Your happy-go-lucky pooch may seem unsteady and confused when undergoing an apoplectic episode. Seizures may look scary, uncontrollable shaking, and last for several minutes.

Why Do Dogs Get Seizures Exactly?

A seizure happens when there is abnormal and uncontrollable electrical activity in your dog’s brain. This condition can result in sudden but short-lived changes in the pet’s movements and behavior. There are three characteristics of epileptic seizures in dogs.

• Your dog may lose its voluntary body control. You may witness jerking and shaking movements and muscle twitching in your pet.
• They may have irregular seizure attacks that start and finish quickly.
• The seizure attacks may appear quite similar each time with a repetitive pattern in them.

You can start suspecting your dog having epilepsy if your pooch has at least two unprovoked epileptic seizures within 24 hours. The vet may not be able to immediately diagnose the condition if you don’t describe the symptoms properly. There are other dog health problems with symptoms quite similar to seizures. For example, a heart failure episode, distress after an insect sting, or a significant balance problem can look like the dog is having a seizure. Hence, you need to provide a thorough description of the abnormal event to help the vet diagnose the correct condition. Maybe record it as well.

Are Dog Seizures Dangerous?

The short answer is YES. It depends on the duration of the seizure. Any dog that has seizures for more than three minutes might face significant danger. Uncontrollable seizures are very well able to kill or cause significant or permanent brain damage in your pet. Some pets experience cluster seizures where one seizure episode quickly gives way to another. This type of seizure is serious and fatal if not treated immediately.

Is There A Way to Treat Seizures in Dogs?

Epilepsy is a condition that your pet is born with and it’s impossible to 100% cure. Treatments for dogs with epilepsy aim at controlling the seizure episodes of the canine. Nonetheless, there are anti-epileptic drugs to control the bouts of seizures experienced by your loving pet. These treatments can reduce the frequency and severity of dog seizures with acceptable side effects. Your dog will still suffer epileptic seizures despite being on anti-epileptic treatments. Many drugs that treat human epilepsy are quite toxic to dogs, so avoid giving it to them. They are also night useless since the dog’s body quickly expels them from the body, preventing a good control of seizures. Phenobarbitone or Potassium Bromide is the first line of treatment for dogs with epilepsy. The medication can be prescribed as Epilease capsules, Potassium Bromide syrup, or Libromide capsules.

CBD oil, for its own part, gained popularity for targeting dog seizures in recent years. According to a recent study by Grand View Research, the pet market size for CBD surpassed $37.4-million in 2020. The product is having a tremendous impact on pets suffering from various health conditions, including dog seizures. The best thing about addressing your dog’s condition with CBD is the lack of seriousness of side effects.

What Are Cannabinoids?

Cannabinoids are naturally occurring compounds in the cannabis plant. There are hundreds of them in the cannabis plant, and CBD and THC are just the two most abundant of them. CBD (cannabidiol) and THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) are also the most popular cannabinoids due to their respective effects. Both these compounds have a couple of health benefits, while THC and only THC has psychoactive properties capable of making a person high. On the other hand, CBD has numerous potential health benefits to humans as well as animals and does not get you high in the process.

What Is CBD?

CBD or cannabidiol is a naturally occurring chemical compound in the cannabis plant. The substance has numerous health benefits. The compound goes on to become product products like oils and edibles to impart a feeling of calm and relaxation in humans and animals alike. CBD is not psychoactive like THC or Tetrahydrocannabinol. In fact, CBD is the non-psychoactive portion of the cannabis plant; you will not experience a high from it. CBD has seen application in treating acute and chronic pain in humans and animals due to its anti-inflammatory properties as well. It is also effective in controlling epileptic seizures in humans and animals, including dogs.

Where Does CBD Come From?

Cannabidiol comes from the Cannabis Sativa plant. Cannabis Sativa has two common varieties such as marijuana and hemp. The marijuana plant has more THC than the hemp plant. In fact, CBD extracted from the marijuana plant has more than 0.3% THC. Hemp-extracted CBD has less than 0.3% THC and can be legally sold or used by anyone in the United States. Hemp-extracted CBD has many medicinal properties to treat various conditions in humans and animals. From a legal standpoint, every cannabis plant that has 0.3% THC is legally hemp; otherwise, they may consider it marijuana.

 

How Does CBD Work in Dogs?

The endocannabinoid system or ECS plays an important role in modulating:

• The brain.
• Immune system.
• Endocrine system.
• And the musculoskeletal system in animals as well as humans.

Inflammation is the body’s natural response to infection and damaged tissues. When inflammation isn’t controlled properly, it can lead to chronic inflammation. The latest research shows that chronic inflammation plays a part in a whole lot of diseases and conditions like epilepsy. The ECS plays an important part in regulating inflammation in dogs. Hence, the ECS is a promising therapeutic target in managing epileptic seizures in animals.

The animal and human bodies do produce endocannabinoids. The main function of the ECS is to promote homeostasis whenever there is an illness or inflammation in the body. Cannabinoid receptors can react to the body’s own endocannabinoids as well as cannabinoids from external sources. That is how CBD helps manage epileptic seizures in your four-legged friend.

Dog Seizures CBD – Does It Help Your Dog?

Many pet owners have successfully used CBD products to control seizure episodes in their dogs. Anecdotal evidence and the latest research show the impact of CBD in treating dog seizures. CBD has anti-inflammatory and anticonvulsant properties that are effective in controlling seizure episodes in your pet. CBD products bind with CB1 and CB2 receptors in the Endocannabinoid System of the dog to calm overactive neurons and control seizures. When thrown off balance due to illness or injury, CBD supplements help restore homeostasis and control seizure episodes for the dog’s nervous system.

CBD seems to be one of the most effective natural therapies for dog seizures. It works fast and without any side effects. The most important thing is to choose a reliable CBD product for your pet. The product should have less than 0.3% THC and come from a high-quality manufacturer.

Dog Seizures CBD – What Is the Appropriate Dosage?

Dosage guidelines usually follow on the size of your pet. Large animals require high doses of CBD than smaller animals. A quality CBD product for dogs should give clear instructions on its label. The best way to determine the right dosage is to ask your vet. You can also contact the manufacturer with the details of your dog’s age, weight, and breed. Here’s a reference as well.

Are There Any Downsides to CBD For Dog Seizures?

Even though CBD is highly safe for treating dog seizures, high dosing over long periods is not something recommended. The best way to take CBD for dog seizures is to consult your vet and follow his/her advice. There are no known side effects of taking CBD for dog seizures. But some pets taking the medication long-term showed a slight increase in a liver enzyme (ALT). This isn’t a big problem, considering how conventional epileptic drugs affect the health and well-being of a pet.

Dog Seizures CBD – The Takeaway

CBD showed to be a highly effective alternative medication for dog epilepsy. It treats epileptic seizures and helps calm down the neurological system of the pet. There are many studies that reveal the effectiveness of CBD in treating dog seizure episodes. The most important thing is to invest in a high-quality CBD product with less than 0.3% THC from a reliable supplier. Hopefully, now you know something new about the effects of CBD on dog seizures.