It’s always lovely when a dog or cat is rescued and given a new home. Even though it’s a net positive in their lives, it’s still a big change, and your new pet may have a hard time adjusting. They may exhibit destructive behaviors or anxiety from their previous experiences.
If you have some form of anxiety, or know someone who has anxiety, you may have heard people often suggest using CBD as a way to treat it. What many people won’t tell you, though, is that it’s perfectly suitable for pets, including dogs and cats.
Rescue pets are a perfect example of a companion that would benefit greatly from CBD. What exactly is CBD, though? How can it help soothe your rescue pet, and how do you even give it to them? Well, I’ll be giving you the rundown on how all this works so you’ll be able to help your pet adjust to their new loving home.
What is CBD?
Cannabidol, or CBD, is a chemical that’s commonly associated with marijuana, though it’s found in other plants as well. However, unlike marijuana, it does not impair you or even get you feeling “high”. It’s commonly used for anxiety, two types of epilepsy, and chronic pain, among other conditions like insomnia or Parkinson disease (though there isn’t a lot of good evidence to support the latter two).
It’s believed that CBD may have these effects by receptors of the endocannabinoid system, the system that regulates memory, mood, and pain, among other physiological and cognitive functions.
While CBD is pretty well-tolerated by most people and animals, it does have its side effects. If you’re ever considering using it, talk to your doctor beforehand to see if it’s right for you. You should do the same with your rescue pet when going to the vet for their check-up.
Common Behaviors of Rescue Pets
When a rescue pet is brought home, there are some behaviors that should be expected. Not all of them will occur, but you should be ready to experience these should you decide to adopt a rescue. These behaviors are common among all animals, so try not to be too hard on them.
General and Separation Anxiety. You were the one to rescue them and give them love and care, and now you’re not allowed to leave their sight. This is especially common for animals who have been returned. They may grow anxious even if you’re just going out to check the mail. I myself have had a cat who hated my bedroom door being locked and would paw at it until it was opened just to make sure I was there and wouldn’t leave.
Destructive behavior. This is a symptom of that general anxiety I was talking about. It’s a coping skill to help them get through being alone, but they’re only doing it because they’re anxious and are trying to comfort themselves. You may want to put them in a crate to make sure they don’t urinate or tear things up, but that may trigger even more anxiety.
Restroom Issues. Many of these pets have not been inside a home before, and so they aren’t well-trained. A seven year old dog may have trouble with potty training because they’ve never been in a home.
Aggression. Some of these dogs or cats have had to learn how to defend themselves on the streets, and so because of that, they can be aggressive at any perceived threat, like a person or dog/cat they don’t recognize.
Fear. Some of these animals come from abusive households where they develop phobias and fear for the people who are supposed to love them unconditionally. Because of this, many animals may be untrusting and fearful for quite a while.
How CBD Oil Can Help Your Rescue Pet Adjust
While all of these behaviors are all too common, they all stem from one source: anxiety. CBD oil is able to help by affecting that endocannabinoid system I was talking about earlier. It helps soothe anxieties and can contribute to their overall physical and mental wellbeing. While all pets will react differently, most tend to tolerate it well. Just make sure you’re giving the right dosage, as a cat won’t be able to tolerate the same amount as, say, a Great Dane. Also make sure to buy the right product, here are a few of the best CBD oil products for dogs.
How to Give Your Pet CBD
There actually is CBD oil specifically for pets. You’ll probably have to search the internet to find out where to buy some, but they’re considered safe for cats and dogs. Mixing it into their food is a pretty common method, though you can actually find CBD dog/cat treats they may like as well. Ask your vet about dosage sizes depending on the animal, or just ask around in forums, as giving pets CBD has become surprisingly popular.
