Top 3 things to know when shopping CBD for Pets

February 11, 2021

Written By: Sean Zyer

A yellow lab smelling a CBD tincture for pets. Calm CBD effects can happen in dogs and cats.

CBD for pets has exploded in popularity due to the amazing benefits pet parents have witnessed with a number of issues our furry friends experience. This is great news for our pets, but buyer beware! Not every CBD pet product on the market is going to be the same quality, so it is important to know some basics before buying.

Here are some questions to ask prior to purchasing a CBD-containing pet product:

1. Where does the CBD pet product come from? Or, a better way of asking is, where is the hemp that is used in their cbd pet product grown?

  • Many CBD pet products are 3rd party sourcing their hemp from companies that co-manufacture for many other brands. Because of their large production volume, these facilities could be sourcing their hemp from a wide variety of farms with very different growing practices. It could also mean that the cannabinoid profile is very different from batch to batch, which could change the effectiveness of the product.
  • Hemp from different farms may be exposed to different contaminants from soil or pesticides and the plants may produce a very different array of molecules….such as how much CBD is produced, or what other molecules are also produced.
How was the CBD Pet Product extracted from the hemp plant?
  • Extraction methods may differ dramatically between sites and the buyer may not be aware that medicinal molecules, such as CBD, have been extracted with.
  • The other concern with 3rd party sourcing would be that they are not using the labeled extraction method the CBD pet product is claiming and potentially cheaper solvents such as Ethanol, Butane, or Isopropanol. These extraction methods, while more cost-effective, are both harsher on the plant and the environment. 
  • Find out the exact source of the CBD pet product’s origin of hemp. This means, not just the state it came from, but the exact farm and their growing practices. 

Earth Buddy grows all of our Hemp and produces all of its CBD pet products in Longmont, CO on a small organic farm. Our farm uses rigorous organic standards that exceed the USDA requirements. We use an aquaponics system that captures glacial melt from the Rocky Mountains. The aquaponic pond contains a rich ecosystem of fish, frogs, and turtles. We also compost on the farm and add these nutrients back into our soil along with the hemp stalks that were grown the prior year. We never spray our plants with any pesticides due to the fact our plants are healthy and produce a natural defense with their aromatic compounds. Learn more about our farm here: https://www.earthbuddypet.com/learn/

 

Organic Hemp Farm

Beautiful sunset at the Earth Buddy Hemp Farm 

 

 

 

2. Is the CBD pet product an Isolate, Broad Spectrum, or Full-Spectrum product?

When it comes to CBD for pets, the marketing lingo is all over the place and it can be quite confusing for pet parents, so let’s define these terms first:

CBD Isolate

  • A single molecule product that has been stripped of all other plant compounds with the use of harsh solvents like Hexane, Pentane or Butane. 
  • These products are taking the pharmaceutical approach, in that, they are claiming that the CBD (cannabidiol) molecule alone contains all of the therapeutic properties needed by an animal. 
  • While these products are often cheaper and research has shown they have a very limited dose range. This means that where therapeutic benefits are often not seen at either lower or higher doses. (you’ll be chasing your tail trying to get the dosing right with these product, so to speak ;))

Broad Spectrum: 

  • These products are often marketed to humans that have jobs where drug testing is a concern. CBD pet products and human products are allowed to have less than 0.3% THC, so companies will remove the small amount of THC to ensure that their products are not going to get customers fired. 
  • And since our furry friends don’t need to be drug tested, there is no need to remove the small amount of THC…in fact, this means that CBD pet products can still contain THC and provide animals with the therapeutic properties of this molecule. This is simply feeding into a stigma that THC is toxic to cats and dogs (it’s NOT), which we will speak on further in blogs to come… 

Full Spectrum Hemp Extract:

  • Full-Spectrum CBD from Hemp has shown to be the most promising of all three because it keeps what Mother Nature produced completely intact. 
  • These CBD pet products will contain less than 0.3% THC and be 3rd party lab tested for safety and purity.
  • These products not only contains high amounts of CBD for pets, but also hundreds of other beneficial plant compounds that produce a synergistic effect known as the Entourage Effect. Research has shown that even in lower doses of full spectrum hemp products our pets can benefit when they’re suffering from allergies, sore joints, stress, upset tummies, and even cognitive issues that our older cats and dogs will experience. Full Spectrum CBD

So why is this important when choosing the right CBD pet product? Well, because cats and dogs are our best friends and we want nothing but the best for them, right?!! At Earth Buddy, we want to speak to quality, not marketing. Many CBD pet products will make claims with lingo above, but when you look at their COA (certificate of analysis) it will show they are not using a true Full-Spectrum CBD oil. Every Earth Buddy CBD pet product ONLY uses the Full-Spectrum Hemp derived from the flower and leaves of our amazing plants. We do not adulterate the plant in any way with chemical solvents and only use sustainable and environmentally friendly extraction methods like supercritical Co2. 

3. Transparency?

You would think this is obvious, but due to the vast amount of CBD for pets in the marketplace it has been a wild west of nonsense and misinformation. This is largely in part because CBD helps a lot of pets and people and that’s understandable! But many people wanted in on the action and raced to market with CBD for pets that made wild claims and confusing labeling that did not match their products. 

It’s ok, we are here to help! 

  • Make sure the CBD pet product you choose has accessible and up-to-date COA’s on their site for every product. (This is bare minimum!)
  • Can you call the company and get clear answers on the CBD pet product you’re considering? (call us anytime 720.634.6909)
  • Are they forthcoming with their growing practices, origin of hemp, extraction and formulation methods? (stay away from anything labeled proprietary!) 

When using CBD for pets, companies should be open and honest about their business practices. This is a new and amazingly beneficial product for our fur buddies and we do not need the marketing fluff to sell! Choose a product and company you feel comfortable with and most importantly, wants to help your pet feel better!

If you’re ready to give us a try with your best buddy then start here!

 

Sean Zyer

Co-Founder of Earth Buddy

 

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