UNDERSTANDING CANNABIS
Cannabis is often confused with "weed", this, however, is not the case. Cannabis is so much more than "weed" and actually refers to a genus of flowering plants that in its sub species contains pytocannabinoids that contain medicinal properties.
Two of the most well known phytocannbinoids are THC and CBD. THC is what could be referred too as "weed" as it has a psychoactive effect, and comes from the marijuana plant, as compared to CBD, which does not have a psychoactive effect and comes from the Hemp plant.
Since CBD does not create a "high", and because of the way it works in the Endocannbinoid (ECS) system in the body, it has strong anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticonvulsant, anti-depressant, anti-psychotic, anti-tumoral, and neuroprotective qualities.
So CBD is not "weed"; it will not make your pet "high", rather, it woks within the body to help create balance and restore homestasis that can be caused by disease.
It is important to note that not all products are the same and not all contain CBD or the same amount of milligrams of CBD. It can be very confusing selecting a product to use. Here is some information to help differentiate what's out there and help narrow down what to use.
Hemp seed oil: From the the seed of the hemp plant does NOT contain any amount of CBD and is NOT the same as Hemp oil.
Hemp oil: From the hemp plant and DOES contain CBD, The amount of CBD needs to be listed on the bottle. Hemp oil is often called CBD oil and vice versa.
CBD isolate products: From the hemp plant, only contains CBD, NO other phytocannabinoids or terpenes.
CBD full spectrum products: From the hemp plant and contains CBD and an array of other phytocannabinoids, including CBG, CBN, and CBA. When combined, these phytocannabinoids work together and create what is called an entourage effect where they catalyze each other and create a greater therapeutic benefit = Entourage Effect or Synergistic Effect.
All of the above products contain <0.3% of THC.
Definition box:
Endocannabinoid system (ECS): is a ubiquitous system that provides homeostatic balance to the nervous and immune systems, as well as many other organ systems. It consists of three parts, which include (1) endogenous ligands, (2) G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs), and (3) enzymes to degrade and recycle the ligands. Every pet's system varies and thus so does their response and dosing to phytocannibnoids.
Phytocannabinoids: are the naturally occurring cannabinoids found in the cannabis plant. For simplicity's sake, most people refer to phytocannabinoids as cannabinoids. Keep in mind there are endogenous cannabinoids produced naturally in the body and these differ from THC and CBD.
Terpenes: are the primary constituents of the essential oils of many types of plants and flowers.
Common terpenes found in hemp:
Myrcene: The Sleepy Tropical Fruit.
Linalool: Lazy Lavender.
A-Pinene: An Invigorating Healer.
Limonene: The Energizer.
Humulene: An Anti-Everything (In A Good Way)
Beta-Caryophyllene: The Spicy Scent.
