Author: Alexandra Doherty
Just like us humans, our pets can suffer from a vast number of physical and mental issues. After suggestions from your vet, you may turn towards substances like CBD or Kratom for solutions. As substances like CBD and Kratom gain popularity, research has expanded even in the pet industry. One reason for the massive rise in popularity of these substances is that they originate from natural herbs.
What is CBD
CBD is obtained from the Cannabis sativa plant and is one among hundreds of other compounds named cannabinoids. It comes in handy in many medical conditions like anxiety, epilepsy, and chronic pain. It does not produce any high like THC, which is closely related to CBD itself. Thus even being a cannabis plant, this is an advantage for CBD. When you consume CBD, you may feel a calming and relaxing sensation. It usually comes from hemp instead of cannabis due to hemp having a higher state. CBD shows a lot of promise as it can be beneficial for sleep problems to appetite problems alike.
What is Kratom
For centuries humans have known about Kratom and its products. It hails from southeast Asian countries like Thailand, Indonesia, and Myanmar. The plant is a part of the coffee family and has been a helpful herb for these countries.
It is usually taken as a powder or chewed as leaves. The powdered form makes it very versatile as it mixes with food or beverages. Kratom is present in different variants or strains. The most popular are the white, green, and red Kratom strains. Now, the question comes- where to find kratom locally? Well, Google has the “near me” tool for that.
Uses of CBD
Research shows that cannabinoids interact with the endocannabinoid receptors in the nervous systems of our pets’. This interaction helps them keep calm and maintain better overall health. Let us look at all the benefits that CBD may have on our pets.
Acts as a painkiller
Just like us, our pets also experience body pain. This pain can be due to many factors like fractures, surgeries, or old age. When used consistently in its oil form, CBD may reduce this pain and even help in healing chronic discomfort. CBD comes in handy as an anti-inflammatory oil due to its medicinal features.
Helps reducing anxiety
Anxiety is not exclusive to us humans only. Similar to us, our pets also face issues related to stress. In extreme cases, the pets behave in peculiar ways like running away. An oral dosage of CBD can calm your pet down. Make sure you visit a vet before starting with doses of CBD for your parents.
Healthy skin and coat
As the largest organ in the body, the skin needs some looking after. Proper nutrition becomes key in maintaining healthy skin. Skin allergies can damage the skin of your pets too. Healthy and shiny fur make our pets look even prettier than they already are. CBD oil can help in maintaining a good fur texture in our furry friends.
Aids bone and joint health
Just like humans, aging can bring arthritic pain for our pets too. CBD oil is very beneficial in this scenario. It can heal senior pets who are affected by arthritis. CBD can have a positive effect on the bone and joint health of our beloved pets.
After knowing about all the benefits of CBD, it does have THC extract. CBD is now legal across the United States provided that it contains less than 0.3% THC, as derived from industrial hemp. This step is helpful as our pets can now get all the benefits of the herb without the side effects.
CBD is available in tincture (oil) form or pet-friendly treats. Just get these delicious bites for your pet, and you are good to go.
Uses of Kratom
Moving on to Kratom, it is a herb with various chemical compounds. It contains alkaloid substances that interact with receptors in our brain and produce a sense of pleasure, sedation, and relief from pain. Mitragynine and 7-hydroxy mitragynine are the most active of the substances found in Kratom.
Due to a combination of chemicals, Kratom can act in several ways. It can be an analgesic, anti-anxiety, or cough suppressant in animals.
Treating seizures
Some pet parents report that Kratom helped their pets with epilepsy or other seizure-causing conditions. On the other hand, it receives criticism for inducing seizures itself.
Stimulating appetite and energy
Kratom is a stimulant at moderate doses that is likely to enhance your pet’s activeness and hunger. Chewing on kratom leaves helps in increasing appetite and energy in an individual. However, be careful as abruptly stopping with giving them Kratom can have the opposite effect.
Similar benefits to CBD
Similar to CBD, Kratom comes in handy as an anti-anxiety remedy. If you see your pet becoming too anxious, going crazy when left alone, Kratom can help. As an opioid, it may stimulate a calming response in your little friend’s nerves.
Kratom can also help with arthritic pain in animals. The product has been in use in Asia for centuries. Owing to its alkaloid contents, it can also help with chronic pain.
If you are worried about how you can give it to your pet, here are a few ways that might help.
You can add some peanut butter (preferably sugar-free) as it helps mask the bitter taste of Kratom. Your dog would love such a sandwich as it would feel like a treat. You can also add the powdered form of Kratom to treats like bits of meat. Adding it to crushed fruits would also be a great and delicious meal for your pet. If you feed them moist food, you can stir the powder into it. Beef broth, for instance, is a great example. Some people even rub Kratom solutions on the gums of their pets. This method is helpful if your pet is in pain.
To find the correct dosage, you might need trial and error as there are no set rules. Starting with smaller doses is preferable as higher doses may have side effects like nausea, seizures, and liver damage.
Conclusion
Both CBD and Kratom are very promising and may help your pets in various ways. Researches using the Hudson activities have shown that dogs that consumed either CBD or Kratom had less overall pain and more activeness, meaning more mobility.
However, Kratom is still illegal in the United States and is under a blanket ban in 6 states. CBD, on the other hand, has been recently legalized when following some guidelines. This difference might be a deal-breaker. Anyhow, when buying either one for your pet, make sure to ask your vet about it and only proceed if he suggests it.
