March 03, 2022

Is Your Pet’s CBD Working? Use This Quiz To Keep Track

CBD oil can be a great investment in your pet’s health and wellbeing, but how can you tell if it’s paying off?

Unless you have some special Dr. Dolittle training, you can’t exactly chat with Fifi or Fido to learn how she or he is feeling since you started adding those drops into the mix.

To measure the success of your pet’s CBD regimen, you need three things:

  • Some time. While it takes under an hour for the body to absorb the CBD, it might take several doses over a period of time to gauge whether your pooch or kit are feeling the effects.
  • Powers of observation. CBD oil is more gentle than many pharmaceutical drugs, so you’ll be looking for subtle cues. The signs can differ depending on why you’re using the CBD and your pet’s unique tolerance.
  • A tracking system.What are you going to be on the lookout for, and how will you compare last week to today?

We’re covering all this further down the page in the form of helpful tips and a customizable quiz, plus some pointers for getting the most out of your pet’s CBD oil.  

How Does CBD Oil Work In Dogs, Cats & Animals?

We’re going to pull back the leash for a minute in case you want to know what happens after your pet’s furry body consumes CBD. This is your intro to those inner mechanics.

CBD is the nickname for cannabidiol. This cannabis compound is part of the family of plant-based cannabinoids.

All critters with a spine — humans, cats, dogs, horses, etc. — have a system called the endocannabinoid system (ECS), which is how cannabinoids like CBD interact with the body.

The ECS has natural cannabinoids that are believed to play a significant role in regulating the body in different ways, controlling things like appetite, sleep, mood, and immune responses such as inflammation.(1) The ECS can become unbalanced and lead to health challenges.(2)

When CBD comes in, it appears to help the ECS do a better job, resulting in things like:(3)

  • Less pain and better mobility
  • Relief from anxiety
  • Reduced allergies
  • Fewer seizures
  • Better digestion

As humans, we can often notice the subtle or significant changes CBD oil has on us. But for those who don’t speak canine or feline, we need to keep tabs on the outcomes our pets experience.

Just getting started with CBD for your dog or cat? Find all the resources you need under theCBD For Pets section here on our blog.

Is Your Pet’s CBD Working? The Quiz

Sometimes it’s clear when something is wrong with your pet. It might refuse its food, keep you up at night, or chew at hot spots. We account for all these things — and the less obvious signs something might be bothering your animal companion — in this customizable quiz.

Below you’ll find sections of mini-quizzes based on common reasons you might be giving your cat or dog CBD, plus an overall health check-in. Feel free to mix and match these questions based on your fur child’s unique situation and skip over those that don’t pertain to your sitch.

Pet Pain Quiz

Arthritis, injuries, and surgeries can cause your fluffball to be in pain and lead to stiffness, lethargy, and overall bad cat or dog behavior. You can use these questions as guideposts to determine whether or not the CBD is helping with these symptoms.

  1. Is your pet able to get up, lie down, and move easily?
  2. Does it have energy for walks and its usual activities?
  3. Is it playful and well-mannered?

If any or all of these things are better than they were before starting the CBD regimen, yay! That’s a sign that it’s helping with your pet’s pain and inflammation.

Pet Anxiety Quiz

Separation anxiety and other forms of anxiety tend to make dogs edgy, which might cause them to chew up furniture, growl, or be territorial. Cats tend to vocalize, destroy things, and hide. Some pets might also experience a change in appetite or have digestive issues when they become stressed.

Keeping in mind that all pets have their own ways of expressing their moods, it doesn’t hurt to ask:

  1. Is your pet well-behaved around other pets and people?
  2. Does it seem calm when you return home after leaving it alone?
  3. Is its appetite and digestion normal?

Is your pet’s attitude making less of an appearance, and does it seem at ease? Keep on doing what you’re doing.

Pet Allergy Quiz

Just like in humans, allergies can show up in a number of ways in cats and dogs. Changes to skin, digestion, and respiratory health are common signs. Monitor these things by asking:

  1. Does your pet have healthy skin that’s free of hot spots and a lustrous coat?
  2. Is it breathing normally without coughing and sneezing?
  3. Is it having regular bowel movements?

Allergies can be or become serious. So make sure your vet’s in the loop on your observations and the CBD products you’re using to help manage the symptoms.

Overall Pet Health Quiz

When it comes to your pet’s health, don’t forget about the basics. Things like its eating habits, sleep, and energy can tell you a lot about how it’s feeling.

  1. Is your pet interested in food, water, and treats?
  2. Can it keep up with its regular schedule?
  3. Does it sleep well?

When all of the above are going well for your furry friend, it’s probably feeling good.

Pro Pet Parent Tip: Keep A CBD Log

We just covered a lot of ground — which is a great reminder to write it all down!

Don’t leave it up to your noggin’ to keep track of every nuance of your furry friend’s behavior and symptoms. Do yourself and your pet a favor. Dedicate a notebook for tracking changes and improvements, along with dosage information.

Here are the basics of what to jot down in your handy-dandy notebook.

  • Dosage size and form. How much CBD are you giving them, and in what form?
  • Dose frequency. How often is it getting a dose of CBD oil?
  • Check-in. Write down the answers to the questions above, or formulate your own.

It does take some dedication to keep track of all these deets, but you’ll be glad you did when you’re clear on what helps your pet feel better.

What To Do If You Aren’t Seeing Results From Your Pet CBD

After you go through the process of sniffing out a high-quality CBD oil for your pet and incorporating it into the routine — it can be frustrating to not see any fruits from your labor.

The good news is that there are things you can do to troubleshoot, like:

  • Adjust the dosage. CBD can have different effects on different folks, which extends to folks with fur and paws. Your pet might need more (or less) than the average cat or dog.
  • Adjust the dose schedule. Giving your pet CBD once in the morning might not be enough to keep it comfortable all night. Consider that CBD should kick in within the hour and last for several hours when deciding when to give your pet a dose.
  • Make sure you’re using bioavailable CBD oil. There’s also the matter of the CBD itself. If it’s not bioavailable, your pet’s body might not be absorbing enough CBD to get the job done. A nano CBD oil formulated specifically for pets will offer the best absorption and the best chance for results.

Pup quiz time! After making these changes, you’ll write them down in your….

That’s right! Your pet CBD logbook.

Healthy Paws Are Happy Paws

When your pet’s health needs a helping paw, CBD might be a part of the solution. Keeping tabs on your pet’s behavior and symptoms gives you valuable insights into whether the CBD regimen is working.

If you aren’t seeing results, you can try adjusting the dosage, changing the dose schedule, or trying a more bioavailable CBD oil product.

With time, patience, and observation, you’ll gather enough information to train your pet’s CBD plan into obedience — so your beloved animal gets the most benefit.

SHOP NANO CBD FOR PETS

References

  1. Grinspoon, P. (2021). The endocannabinoid system: Essential and mysterious. Harvard Health Publishing. https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/the-endocannabinoid-system-essential-and-mysterious-202108112569
  2. Russo, EB. (2016). Clinical Endocannabinoid Deficiency Reconsidered: Current Research Supports the Theory in Migraine, Fibromyalgia, Irritable Bowel, and Other Treatment-Resistant Syndromes. Cannabis and cannabinoid research. https://doi.org/10.1089/can.2016.0009
  3. Hazzah, T. (2022). CBD for Pets: Benefits, Uses, and Things to Consider. Great Pet Care. https://www.greatpetcare.com/wellness/cbd-for-pets-benefits-uses-and-things-to-consider


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