In most of our holiday gift lists, there is a category that was virtually unknown twenty years ago: gifts for family babies. Whether it’s our beautiful pit bull or Aunt Jane’s crunchy fifteen-year-old cat, many of us have plenty of pets to buy for this season.
This year, why not make it something more meaningful than a generic chew toy or pet sweater? Why not give vibrant pet health? CBD tinctures for animals are the next thing, and many veterinarians recommend it for chronic diseases.
Why does my pet need CBD?
CBD, or cannabidiol, is one of more than a hundred plant compounds called cannabinoids found in cannabis or hemp. It is related to THC, but it is not the same: it does not have psychoactive properties or make you drug. Human use of CBD is extremely popular for many reasons, but pet use has increased in recent years.
THC is bad for animals, but CBD is safe to use. It works by interacting with receptors in our endocannabinoid system. All mammals have an EC system, even some other animals such as lizards have rudimentary versions.
And interestingly, while humans are heavy users of CBD, most successful preliminary CBD tests have been performed on animals.
Some of the potential benefits of CBD for animals include:
Anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties (pain relief).
Mood stabilization (can help animals with a lot of anxiety)
Neuroprotective (seizure protection)
Many pet owners use CBD for their large pets that have crunchy and painful joints or for animals with a lot of anxiety. Others give it to their pets as a proactive and holistic solution to prolong their health and well-being. In any case, a CBD tincture is easy to give: just enter the right dose in the food.
Talk to your veterinarian about CBD. Although not yet approved by the American Veterinary Association, many veterinarians are on board and can help you dose the instructions.
The 5 best CBD tinctures for dogs
It is incredibly important when you buy CBD for your pets that you go with a reliable and trusted brand. The FDA does not regulate CBD, so the market is full of snake oil solutions that may not even contain any CBD.
To make your purchase easier, we’ve done the research for you. We’ve compiled a list of the top 5 CBD tinctures designed specifically for pets. These brands are well established, well reviewed and offer independent third party testing of their products for potency and purity.
CBD Premium # 1 Joy Organics Tincture for Dogs, Cats and Pets
Joy Organics Pet CBD Tincture is a USDA certified organic product formulated by a company known for its quality and transparency. Its premium CBD is extracted from sustainably grown domestic hemp and mixed only with organic olive oil for a pure and simple tincture. This broad-spectrum CBD contains 0% THC, making it completely safe for your pets.
The product lab report is right on the page: it is tested by third parties for potency and purity. All Joy Organics products have a money back guarantee, and if you sign up for a repeat purchase (every 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 or 12 weeks) you will get a 30% discount.
# 2 Lazarus Naturals CBD Pet Dye
Lazarus Naturals is another industry favorite and offers pet dyes in a variety of powers to facilitate dosing. There’s even a wild salmon flavor available that only uses salmon oil for taste and an explosion of healthy omega 3 oils. Like our flagship brand, they also offer third-party testing results directly on the product page .
Lazarus Naturals does not have a subscription discount program, but it does offer an assistance program for eligible applicants (low income, active duty or military veterinarians or disability).
# 3 NuLeaf Naturals Pet CBD Tincture
NuLeaf combines quality full spectrum CBD with organic virgin hemp seed oil for a double hemp shot. Your pet tincture has a potency range of 300 to 800 mg per bottle, keeping in mind that pets are all different sizes.
Its pet tincture is made from 100% organic ingredients (though not certified by the USDA) and shows third-party testing results to ensure no preservatives, emulsifiers or added flavors.
CBD Oil # 4 CBDistillery Extra Strength Man’s Best Friend
A top brand at a lower price than most deals, CBDistillery is great if you have multiple pets or just one pet that requires large doses. Its tasteless tincture is made from domestic industrial hemp without additives, and is also 100% organic. Potencies range from 240 mg to 2425 mg per bottle.
Like all our choices, CBDistillery is completely transparent in its advertising. They offer third party testing for all the products on their website.
# 5 Drops of Charlotte’s Web Full Spectrum Hemp Extract with 17 mg CBD for Dogs
Charlotte’s Web has been a trusted name in the CBD for years and its products have a high standard of quality. (You guessed it – they also offer third-party testing results!) The pet formulation offers 17 mg of quality CBD extracted from hemp grown in the United States, as well as a full spectrum of plant-based cannabinoids.
It comes in tasteless or an option flavored with natural chicken oil for the demanding dog. It is non-GMO and free of additives, chemicals or pesticides. Quality has been tested more than 20 times to ensure that your pet receives the safest product available.
Pet CBD for the holidays
Now that you know a little more about CBD and what it can do for your pets, why not take action? Don’t buy another predictable dog sweater for your furry loved one, but do it better with the gift of vibrant health and wellness. As we all know, a happy pet makes happy holidays.
