People worldwide are turning their heads from prescription medications to CBD oil for dog allergies. CBD oil has been proven to be just as effective as drugs with fewer side effects, so what is there not to love about it? Learn more about how CBD oil can help dogs with allergies below and THE best CBD brands to ensure you’re getting the highest quality, most effective oil for your pup.
How Common Are Allergies in Dogs?
Unfortunately, dogs suffer from allergies just much as humans do – up to 20% of all dogs develop allergies. Most dog owners realize their dog has a sensitivity to an allergen between 1 and 2 years old.
Common Allergic Reactions in Dogs
According to the American Kennel Club, the most common symptom of an allergic reaction for dogs is itching. Other symptoms include:
- Respiratory Issues
- Coughing
- Sneezing
- Wheezing
- Skin Issues
- Red
- Hives
- Inflamed
- Rash
- Facial Swelling
- Lips
- Eyes
- Earflaps
- Diarrhea
- Vomiting
- Constant Licking
Allergic reactions can be due to:
- Environmental Allergies – Environmental allergies are the most common for dogs and often go hand-in-hand with skin allergies.
- Seasonal Allergies – Seasonal allergies may be temporary or year-round depending on the sensitivity to the allergens in each season.
- Food Allergies – While CBD oil can help with food allergies, switching to fresh dog food and fresh raw dog food diet is often the best course of action.
- Skin Allergies – Skin allergies are often attributed to fleas.
A Vet’s First Course of Action for Dog Allergies
Diagnosis is the first course of action for dogs with allergies. The next step is prescribing medication to relieve the symptoms.
Is allergy medicine okay for dogs?
Many dogs do well on allergy medication, but there are also many who suffer from side effects that dwarf the severity of the allergy symptoms.
Benadryl
Benadryl can worsen allergy symptoms rather than calm them.
Cetirizine
Cetirizine may cause vomiting, increased salivation, and sleepiness.
Apoquel
Common side effects of apoquel are:
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Lethargy
- Anorexia
- SQ or Dermal Masses
- Skin and Ear Infections
- UTIs
Steroids
Dogs taking steroids may suffer from an insatiable appetite, thirst, and urination. It can cause panting, and muscle wasting, and increase the risk of fungal infections, UTIs, and bacterial infections.
It’s obvious popular allergy medication for dogs isn’t the ideal solution. That’s why dog owners are making the switch to CBD oil.
About CBD Oil for Dogs
CBD oil is an extract from the cannabis plant. It has several healing properties that make it an effective pain treatment.
Dogs, like humans, have an endocannabinoid system (ECS). The ECS processes cannabinoids (naturally made by the body). Cannabinoids are also the active ingredients in cannabis and hemp.
The cannabinoid receptors in a dog’s body regulate some of the most important parts of the body, such as the brain, organs, nervous system, and immune system.
When a dog suffers from allergies, it disrupts the proper functioning of the ECS, causing discomfort for the dog. What part of the ECS do allergies disrupt? The dog’s immune system. When allergens enter the body, the immune system recognizes them as a threat and attacks them even though the allergens are not dangerous.
The work the immune system does to protect the body takes away resources to other parts of the body, so they start to decrease in efficiency. When other areas of the body don’t work efficiently, dogs (and humans) suffer.
CBD oil is a fast and effective way to restore balance and strength in the ECS, which again governs the immune system. Adding cannabinoids to the body can help parts of the body function the way they are supposed to relieve allergy systems.
A study in 2007 found CBD oil for dog allergies highly effective. The researchers said that CBD protected the ECS when an allergen was presented. The protection CBD provided reduced or eliminated the effects of the allergens.
A study in 2012 studying dogs with atopic dermatitis concluded CBD treated the condition’s symptoms. Atopic dermatitis causes skin inflammation, rashes, and itchiness. The CBD oil anti-inflammatory properties reduced inflammation, improved the appearance of the dog’s skin, and alleviated itchiness. If your dog’s symptoms are similar, consider this study for your dog’s atopic dermatitis.
CBD oil is effective in treating allergies, but is it safe for dogs?
A 2018 study found that CBD is completely safe for dogs. The study also concluded CBD treatment had no side effects.
A survey of U.S. veterinarians asked about the side effects of CBD showed that most of them were in favor of the treatment and said side effects were minimal. Some reported that some dogs become sleepy.
It’s ALWAYS a good idea to discuss CBD oil for your dog with your veterinarian. Understanding whether or not your dog is healthy enough for the treatment and how much your dog should receive is important for effectiveness and avoiding adverse side effects due to an overdose.
The Best CBD Oil for Dog Allergies
CBD oil comes in three types of blends:
Full-Spectrum CBD
CBD oil referred to as “full-spectrum” contain cannabinoids and terpenes from the cannabis plant. For this reason, it can contain a small amount of THC. This negligent amount of THC does not affect dogs receiving the correct dosage.
Broad-spectrum CBD
If the THC still worries you, broad-spectrum CBD will be the best choice for you. It contains all of the compounds of the cannabis plant EXCEPT for THC.
CBD Isolate
CBD Isolate is THE purest form of CBD, but it’s also the least effective. This blend is not a good choice for your furry friend.
Researchers report that full-spectrum and broad-spectrum CBD are the best choices for a dog’s allergies and other issues, such as digestive issues or car anxiety.
For further information, read:
Best CBD OIl for Dogs with Car Anxiety
CBD Oil for Dogs with Digestive Issues
Recommendations: CBD Oil for Your Dog’s Allergies
The below brands are highly recommended by Dog Ownership Guide for your dog’s health, happiness, and well-being.
CBD Oil Tinctures
CBD oil in the form of tinctures can make it easy for your pooch to receive the proper dosage quickly. Simply mix it up in peanut butter, pumpkin puree, or golden paste and you’ll be providing even more to your pooch’s body.
About KING KALM™
KING KALM™ has a fantastic blend of Broad Spectrum CBD with hemp oil and krill oil. Not only does your pooch receive the added benefits of hemp oil and krill oil, but the krill oil increases the efficiency of CBD oil in the body.
KING KALM™ 75mg CBD
The KING KALM™ 75mg CBD blend is the perfect dose for small and toy dogs. For larger dogs, more than one dose may be needed to achieve maximum effectiveness.
KING KALM™ 150mg
The 150 mg tincture from KING KALM is perfect for medium size dogs. Again, larger dogs can benefit from this product, but more than one dose may be required.
KING KALM™ CBD 300mg
King Kalm™ CBD 300 mg is best for large dogs. This should not be used for small to medium size dogs because dosing tincture down is difficult.
KING KALM™ CBD 600 MG with Copaiba & Krill Oil and DHA
This KING KALM™ product is made out of a proprietary Broad Spectrum CBD oil mixed with Capaiba, krill oil, and DHA.
This is the most powerful formula in the Kanine Gold Series. Researchers have found that the combination of Copaiba and DHA is highly beneficial to pets of all kinds with a very low risk of negative consequences (when compared to the use of pharmaceutical products).
Best CBD Oil Dog Treats for Dog Allergies
If your dog loves treats, these CBD oil treats will make treating your dog’s sypmtoms easy.
Diamond CBD
Diamond CBD designed its line of full-spectrum CBD dog treats to be nutrient-rich, organic, and hemp plant-derived. All their dog products are made in the USA and contain THC or synthetics.
Diamond CBD’s brand of dog treats – Medipets – are made with real beef, chicken fat, and cheese bits.
Dosages range from 100 mg to 600 mg for small dogs, medium dogs, and large dogs. Treats can be easily broken up for small dogs. Dog owners should speak to their vet for dosage recommendations.
Medipets’ CBD treats for dogs come in many tasty flavors, such as meaty steak treats, wavy bacon, and more.
HolistaPet CBD Dog Treats
HolistaPet, a well-known CBD pet brand, makes dog treats from hemp seed powder and natural ingredients.
All of HolistaPet’s products are:
- Organic
- Vegan
- 100% Natural
- Superfoods Enhanced
- Non-GMO
- Gluten-Free
- Dairy-Free
- Tested and Verified by a Certified Lab
- Broad Spectrum
Pet owners can feel good about choosing this product for their pup.
Each bag of CBD dog treats contains 30 treats with each treat having 10 mg of CBD. The treats are perfect for small and large dogs because dosing is easy. Treats can even be halved to provide doses of 5 mg or 150 mg with one and a half treats.
Treat Your Dog’s Symptoms and Root Cause of the Allergies
Skin health is important, so itchy skin isn’t a symptom you should ignore. Disrupting the integrity of the skin with scratches, wounds, etc. from the nails scratching and hives erupting can lead to infection.
CBD oil for your dog’s allergies not only alleviates the symptoms but can also restore the endocannabinoid system to maximum performance. A well-functioning ECS system can be the solution to your dog’s allergies as well as many other medical issues while preserving health.
Our bodies are a temple, and so are the bodies of dogs everywhere. CBD oil is the answer not only for humans but for dogs, too. Consider purchasing from the above reputable brands for CBD, as they are committed to selling only the very best in CBD for dogs.
2 comments
Barbara Gilson
October 9, 2022 at 6:31 pm
My pup has been on Apoquel for a couple of years. I just read about this product and would like to giver her CBD instead for allergies. I am concerned that it has actually made her worse. I have tried many veterinary recommended foods and still she continues with itchy butt, licking and chewing paws. She also gets ear infections in one ear.
Hopefully this will help. What would be the best recommendations? Thank You
DOGuide
October 11, 2022 at 9:06 am
Hi Barbara! Thank you for commenting with your question. I’m sorry to read about your pup’s allergies. My recommendation would be to try the CBD oil topically and orally first. CBD oil on irritated skin can soothe it so she doesn’t keep licking and chewing. The oral part of the CBD may help with the underlying cause of the allergies. Since you mentioned the veterinarian-recommended foods, the allergies are likely food-related, right? You may want to try a fresh dog food to see if that will help with the allergies and then she can benefit from the overall health benefits. I have information throughout the site, but you can read about some of the fresh food delivery services here:
https://dogownershipguide.com/fresh-raw-dog-food