Can Your Pet Take Both CBD Oil & Other Supplements & Medications at the Same Time?
Do you have a pet that is regularly taking some special type of medication or supplements? If you do, you may have wondered whether or not adding CBD to their daily supplement regimen would have any type of affect with whatever it is that they are already taking. Here is everything that you will need to know in regard to giving your dog CBD oil when they are already taking some type of medication or other supplement.
Is CBD Safe for Your Pet on its Own?
When CBD oil was originally introduced to the market, there were a ton of misconceptions that were going around in regard to how it worked. Many people simply thought that CBD oil was simply another variety of the cannabis that is more commonly known as ‘weed’ and had concerns that it would produce the very same psychotropic effects that smoking weed provided.
Luckily for CBD oil however, most of these misconceptions are being put to rest as more and more research on how CBD oil really works has been released. For example, it is now known that CBD oil is mainly going to be sourced from the hemp plant, which is one of the many different varieties of cannabis plants that only contain a very minute amount of THC. And in case you didn’t know, THC is the compound that is more commonly found in cannabis and is responsible for all of the psychoactive effects.
Research has also revealed that CBD oil is non-toxic, a non-psychoactive, completely non-addictive, and well tolerated by both humans and pets. And on top of that, there are no known negative side effects related to the regular use of CBD oil, making it one of the most attractive alternatives to certain medications that do actually have negative side effects. In fact, the only one thing that has been noticed by pet owners who give their pets CBD oil is that they may potentially become a little drowsy. But even this can be prevented by simply lowering the dosage that you are giving your pet.
When your pet’s dosage is on the higher side, the CBD oil can potentially have some sedative type effects. Conversely, when the dosage is on the lower side, it has the potentially to boost your pet’s energy levels.
Is it Possible for CBD Oil to Interact with Other Types of Medications?
Even though CBD oil is considered to be extremely safe and normally is going to be very well-tolerated, it does have the potential to interact with some of the other medications that your pet may be taking, granted that the CBD oil is being given to your pet at a very high dose. Here are the possible CBD oil drug interactions that you should be aware of if you are planning to start your pet on a CBD regimen when they are taking other medications.
CBD Oil and Your Pet’s Liver Enzyme Activity
The main reason that CBD oil has the potential to interact with some of the other pharmaceuticals that your pet is taking, is because of how it can affect the activity of your pet’s liver enzymes, more specifically, the cytochrome P450 liver enzymes. It is this particular group of enzymes that is responsible for doing all of the metabolizing for about 60% of nearly all the medications that are available to your pet today. This even includes NSAIDs such as ibuprofen, anti-epileptics such as diazepam, antidepressants such as amitriptyline, and many, many more too.
These medications are going to be broken down by the enzymes, as the enzymes are going to add oxygen into the molecules which will then alter their molecular structure. This is the process that is more commonly referred to as oxidization. When these compounds are oxidized, the cytochrome P450 will then make them much more water-soluble, which will make them much easier for your pet’s kidneys to filter out.
While more research is still required, some preclinical studies have revealed that CBD oil has the potential to inhibit your pet’s cytochrome P450 activity, which will then directly affect how their liver is going to be able to metabolize any other compounds. When CBD oil enters your pet’s body, it is also going to be metabolized by the cytochrome P450 enzymes. Essentially, the CBD that your pet has consumed is going to occupy the entire area where the enzyme activity will occur within the liver, which will result in the enzymes being able to break down any other types of chemicals that may need to be broken down.
This ultimately means that any other medications that your dog may be taking that are normally metabolized by the cytochrome P450 enzymes, are going to stay within their body for longer, meaning that they will take effect for longer.
On a side note, the rate that the CBD oil is going to affect these particular enzymes is going to greatly vary depending upon the way that the CBD oil was originally administered to your pet, as well as the dose that was given to them too. Other factors that will vary this entire process are going to include whether or not the other medications being taken by your pet are metabolized by the liver and what the original source of the CBD oil that your pet is taking is a whole-plant supplement, or an isolate. If you are giving your pet a higher dose of CBD oil, it will typically have a much greater impact on the liver enzymes activity as compared to a smaller dose of CBD oil.
What are the Medications that CBD Oil can Interact With?
As previously mentioned, it is the cytochrome P450 enzymes that are going to be responsible for just about 60% of the metabolization of medications that are available to your pet. While the list of every single potential medication interaction with CBD oil would be impossible to list, here are some of the more common drugs that CBD oil has the potential to interfere with. Now keep in mind that are a variety of different factors involved to make CBD oil interact with other medications, it can happen. Here are the medications that are more common and have the potential to interact with CBD oil:
- Steroids such as Fludrocortisone and Prednisone
- NSAIDs
- Benzodiazepines such as anticonvulsants and anxiolytics
- Antihistamines such as allergy medications
- Anesthetics
- Fentanyl and other types of narcotics
- Certain antibiotics
If you are curious to see a complete list of medications that have the potential to interact with CBD oils, be sure to ask your local veterinarian and they will be able to help you find out if the CBD oil will interact with any medicine that your pet may be taking.
Using CBD Oil with Your Pet
CBD oil has quickly become one of the most popular health supplements in the history of health supplements, and there is good reason for why this is. When you activate your pet’s Endocannabinoid System, which studies have proven will help play a major role in just about everything from the inflammatory processes to appetite regulation, there are going to be a large variety of different health benefits that CBD oil will provide. Some of these health benefits include:
- Relief from excess stress and anxiety
- Major anti-inflammatory effects
- Aid in regulation of metabolism
- Allergy relief
- And many, many more
Since your pets have an Endocannabinoid System just like you do, they are going to be able to reap the very same benefits that you would if you were to take CBD oil on a regular basis. This is the exact reason that there are many pet owners out there who are taking CBD oil supplements along with their pet. This way both you and your pet are going to be able to take advantage of all the different health benefits that CBD oil can provide.
As with any type of new supplement, before you start incorporating it as a part of your regular, every day routine, be sure that you talk with your doctor to make sure that it is safe for you to do. Conversely, be sure that you speak with your local veterinarian before you start your pet on any type of CBD oil regimen as well. This is just a safety thing and will make it much easier moving forward if you are to have any questions about any changes in either your own, or your pet’s reactions to starting with CBD oil.
While CBD oil has been proven to have amazing health benefits for your pet when they are on a consistent CBD regimen, it does have the potential to interact with other types of medications or supplements that they may be taking. With that being said, just be sure that you do some research or speak with your pet’s veterinarian before starting them with CBD oil. But if there are no interactions with the medication they are taking, you should have no problems getting your pets started with CBD oils.
