New York, NY--Many have turned to CBD to ease their problems. Looked at as nature's miracle cure by many, it's used to heal symptoms not just in humans but also animals, leading to a propagating discourse around whether they are actually suitable for our four-legged pals.
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The market is soaring for this pet CBD too, with reports suggesting it could reach $1.1 billion by 2025. The buzz around CBD has made it to popular media and advertisement channels, yet people can never be sure if the product they buy is authentic.
Media reports have highlighted that some CBD products used to treat anxiety and other pet issues do not have any of the active ingredients. And researchers aren't too happy with it and the reputation it's leaving behind.
"You'd be astounded by the analysis we've seen of products on the shelf with virtually no CBD in them," Cornell University researcher Joseph Wakshlag told the AP.
"Or products with 2 milligrams per milliliter, when an effective concentration would be between 25 and 75 milligrams per milliliter. There are plenty of folks looking to make a dollar rather than produce anything that's really beneficial," Wakslag added.
Other factors for consumers to note
The growing popularity of CBD products might not mean that people are as aware of how they should be consumed, and this could be true for both human and animal consumption.
One crucial aspect of buying CBD is understanding where the retailer is getting their supply from and if they are ensuring quality at every step. And when it comes to strength, nothing other than a trusted source should be trusted. If consumers ignore this, they could pose a self-hurdle towards the industry's future.
"Testing and labeling is going to be a critical part of the future of this industry," explained S. David Moche of Applied Basic Science while talking to AP.
Besides proper dosage, consumers must also keep the product's authenticity in mind. It's an issue that's gripping markets outside the US too. More CBD products are being recalled from the market — not mainly because they didn't have any CBD, but because they had more THC — the psychoactive sister of CBD. Since 2021 newer CBD items in Ireland have been seen as problematic, with the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) saying some products contain THC.
How effective really is CBD for animals
Colorado's legalization of medical marijuana in 2012 may not have given a veterinarian enough to think about that day, but then the phones started to ring, asking if she'd researched the link between CBD and pets and what she thought of it.
Now a pioneer in the field of veterinary cannabis research, Stephanie McGrath, assistant professor of neurology at Colorado State University College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, finds it hard to keep up with people's passion and eagerness to try CBD products.
Years of CBD research have offered McGrath ample perspective on the matter. "We measured the pharmacokinetics, which basically means you give the dogs a single dose of all three delivery methods and then you measure a bunch of different blood levels over a 12-hour period," McGrath told Cnet. "So how quickly is the CBD absorbed, how high the blood concentration gets at that single dose, and then how fast the CBD is eliminated."
McGrath learned that CBD oil performed the best as it reached the highest concentration in blood and stayed there for the longest time. It also performed consistently across different breeds of dogs — more than capsule or creams. But it wasn't enough for her and the team to draw conclusions.
More to be learned
The research to learn whether CBD benefits pets is limited, but the progress is promising. A placebo-controlled double-blind study published in 2020 found that cannabidiol possessed anti-inflammatory properties and significantly improved the mobility of large domestic canines afflicted with osteoarthritis. Studies have also claimed that CBD can help dogs suffering from osteoarthritis by improving their movement.
McGrath also published a study in 2019 that said CBD helps reduce the number of seizures experienced by dogs with epilepsy. "But whether or not the blood levels achieved are adequate enough to treat certain diseases, we don't yet know," she explained in the report.
More research is being performed, and another question that emerges amid ongoing work in the field is whether CBD products are safe for animals. A 2017 WHO report states that it; is well-tolerated by animals in its pure form. However, subsequent studies have highlighted increased liver enzyme alkaline phosphatase (ALP) during CBD treatment. But it's unclear how harmful that is.
McGrath recommends in the report that she'd be concerned about giving CBD to dogs with liver issues, and this makes sense because CBD in canines is metabolized in the liver, like in humans.
Awareness helps. Legal CBD products contain no more than 0.3% THD, which is known to be safe for animals. However, take no chances, as experts recommend sticking with products with THC while making a purchase for the pet.
"We haven't found anything that's super alarming about CBD," McGrath said in the report. "But on the flip side, we still know very little about it, and it's really important for owners to know that and use it with caution until we have more information."