If you had to search for this article, you are probably already feeding your dog this new product or are researching the best CBD oils for your pets and are concerned about its right dosage. But most pet parents have one common question in mind before they choose this natural alternative for their dogs – can a dog overdose on CBD treats?
Speaking from a medical point of view, CBD oils do not affect the brain receptors. This means they do not impact the respiratory system and, thus, are not fatal for dogs. A high dosage can, however, elicit some negative symptoms like extreme lethargy, diarrhea, extreme drowsiness, and more. But it is rare for a dog to consume cannabinoids (CBD) more than the safety margin, which is more than 30mg for each kg of body weight.
Many owners administer a healthy amount of CBD oil to their dogs for the potential positive effects. But let us tackle your doubts and discuss the more important information in this regard, starting by defining CBD.
What Is CBD?
Cannabidiol, sometimes known as CBD, is a substance found in the cannabis plant. The two main cannabinoids in cannabis products are Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and CBD, which make up more than 80 cannabinoids.
The key distinction between the two is that THC is a psychoactive substance that alters one’s state of mind and causes one to feel “high.” On the other hand, CBD extracts can have many excellent advantages for both humans and canines.
How Does CBD Affect Your Dog’s Body?
The endocannabinoid system is a network of receptors throughout the body that deals with naturally produced cannabinoids to mediate its impact on the dog’s body and maintain homeostasis.
Although it is still unclear how CBD interacts with endocannabinoid receptors, some people think it prevents the breakdown of the natural cannabinoid anandamide. Others mention the presence of antioxidants or an undiscovered family of cannabinoid receptors.
Since CBD is known to work at the molecular level, overdosing on the substance is unlikely to impact the endocannabinoid system. When CBD concentrations are higher than what is safe for use, the substance is flushed from the body, resulting in some mildly unpleasant effects.
Overdose vs. Toxicity
When an animal consumes too much of a comparatively safe substance, we call it overdosing. But toxicity can result when a dog is given an unsafe chemical, even in small amounts.
Dogs can overdose on CBD, even though rarely, and pet parents need to be aware of this. When a dog consumes too much of a prescription, natural chemical, or supplement, the overdose is brought on by the dog’s inability to quickly metabolize the material. As a consequence, you will be able to see side effects.
But an overdose is different from toxicity. A toxic chemical will poison the dog. Toxic medicines or other lethal chemicals have no good benefits for pets. They can cause respiratory depression, sometimes causing instant death.
A responsible pet owner must only purchase pet CBD products with no more than 0.3 percent THC if one wants to avoid any THC toxicity. Additionally, it would help if you never took a chance to expose your dog to marijuana products or other harmful substances that can prove to be lethal for your pet.