Cats, just like humans, can deal with a lot of afflictions, both mental and physical. As owners, it is our responsibility to care for them as efficiently as possible. Investing in cat health insurance can be an excellent way to protect your furry friend from serious accidents or illnesses. Pet health insurance can help you cover some of the medical expenses related to your cat’s care. This includes things like emergency care, hospitalization, and prescription medicine. Unfortunately, some medications traditionally used to treat simple ailments can have serious side effects.
Here’s where non-traditional methods of treatment enter the play, and one that has gained a lot of popularity recently is, of course, Cannabidiol. Also known as CBD, Cannabidiol is a compound that can be found in the cannabis plant, and it can provide a great deal of health benefits that can be exploited by both animals and people.
The thing about this particular method of treatment is that not a lot of people are actually fond of the idea of using it at first, solely because of its relationship with the cannabis plant. However, the more people get to know it, the less intimidated they feel about it, but… There’s another challenge that might pop-up: Choosing the type of product.
There are many products you can pick when it comes to medication for cats, but the most commonly used products are both tasty cat treats and CBD-infused oils. They are both very similar since they can provide the same benefits, but there are certain differences that might make a cat owner more inclined to go for one option than the other.
But before we get into that, you might want to get to know the compound a little better before even deciding whether to try it or not. And to do that, we have to talk about THC first. .
THC vs CBD
As mentioned earlier, Cannabidiol is one of the many compounds that can be found in the cannabis plant, but there’s another particular compound that can be found in it as well, which is known as THC.
These two compounds are fairly similar when it comes to their capabilities, but there’s one thing that you have to know, and is the fact that THC is the one between the two compounds that provide the plant with its psychotropic capabilities. This means that, because of THC, people do get high when they consume cannabis, regardless of the way they consume it.
But when it comes to animals, things are a lot more complicated. You see, THC is actually toxic for them! This is due to the endocannabinoid system, which is the reason why CBD and THC are capable of providing health benefits in the first place.
The Basics of the Endocannabinoid System
The endocannabinoid system, as shown over at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endocannabinoid_system, is a very complex system of neurotransmitters, which can be easily influenced by both CBD and THC.
Although there’s a lot to know about it yet, it has been proven that this system of neurotransmitters is capable of directly and indirectly influencing many functions of the body, from stress levels to appetite and inflammatory responses.
The thing about the endocannabinoid system of animals is that they have a much more sensitive system than ours, and THC can actually overwhelm it. On the other hand, cannabidiol is a lot gentler, and it is capable of providing all the benefits of medicinal cannabis without causing side effects, making it a more reliable option in most situations, for both humans and animals.
Choosing the Right Product
Now, when it comes to humans, there’s a wide range of products to pick from, going from oils, edibles and smokables such as vaping oils and cigarettes. On the other hand, animals can only opt for edibles and oils, so picking between the two is part of the process.
As I mentioned earlier in this article, they are both very similar when it comes to their capabilities. For example, if you visit this article over here, you’ll get to know a lot more about their benefits. Cannabidiol products are often used for:
- Alleviating pain and inflammation
- Reducing stress and anxiety
- Improving sleep
Now… Both Cannabidiol-infused oils and treats are recognized as beginner-friendly options for pet owners, mainly because they are fairly easy to use. That being said, there are some differences.
Oils, for example, tend to be cheaper than edibles like treats, and can last for longer, making it a more viable choice if your cat does not need it on a regular basis. It’s also very easy to administer since you get to use droppers, but it’s not very appealing to most cats because of its taste and texture.
Treats, on the other hand, are much more appealing for cats, and are perfect if they need it on a regular basis. That being said, they are a little more expensive. Ideally, you should go for this option if you don’t mind the extra expense and want your cat to have the best experience possible. It is also easy to administer since you don’t need too many measurements when it comes to edibles.
In the end, though, they are both capable of achieving the same results. They take from 15 to 30 minutes to kick in and provide a fairly reasonable effect for about 2 to 5 hours, depending on the dosage. This can be incredibly helpful if your cat is dealing with anxiety or a pain-inducing condition that requires relief for extended periods of time!
Sadly, stronger options usually come in smokeable variations, and cats cannot take advantage of them, thus, if the cat is dealing with severe pain, you might want to either increase the dose, or pay attention to the schedules in which you give your pet the medication.
Just make sure to pay attention to your cat since excessive CBD might cause some side-effects, and you will have to reduce the dosage if that’s the case. Good examples include vomiting and diarrhea, as well as lack of appetite, so pay attention to these symptoms, and reduce the dosage if you see any problems.
