Ways to identify separation anxiety in dogs and how CBD oil can help. reasons why CBD oil is one of the best health supplements to alleviate anxiety in dogs.
Being a pet parent, it’s not easy to see your fur baby experience the symptoms of separation anxiety. But anxiety in dogs is more common than you think. What is most important in dealing with anxiety problems in dogs is observing your pet’s behavior very keenly and then identifying the common triggers.
Separation anxiety occurs in a dog when he is kept away from his closest companion for some reason. The initial symptoms of anxiety can be displayed in your pup as minor sadness to panic and other destructive or aggressive behavior. There could be various underlying reasons causing anxiety in dogs. Some of them include a sudden change in environment, going to a new family after being adopted or rescued, loss of a family member, etc.
What is separation anxiety?
Separation anxiety refers to the disappropriate behavior of a dog when separated from a family member or left alone for a long time. There could be multiple stress triggers in your dog-related to separation. For example, the sound of a car engine starting, the sound of opening and closing of doors, etc. once your dog gets triggered he could develop destructive behavior, start excessive barking, go to the bathroom and make other inappropriate behaviors.
According to a study made in the year 2001 on separation anxiety, researchers found that dogs that live in homes with only one adult owner are more likely to develop separation anxiety than those living with multiple owners. Other factors associated with separation anxiety include hyper-attachment with a certain person or animal.
Signs your dog is experiencing separation anxiety
The common symptoms of separation anxiety in dogs include; excessive barking, sadness, pacing or drooling around the house, chewing table corners, scratching doors, digging through carpets, trying to escape by breaking through a door, peeing, or pooping inside the house, etc. Sometimes, a dog might even harm himself attempting to escape or break through.
The symptoms may not be visible when you are physically present with your dog in the house. But, it is likely to become worse once you leave the house. It is one of the reasons why you should give your dog CBD oil early enough before leaving the house.
CBD and anxiety reduction
When a dog takes CBD oil that is derived from the cannabis plant, it interacts with the endocannabinoid system of the body. The receptors namely CB1 and CB2 in the endocannabinoid system are directly linked with body homeostasis. This is linked to controlling inflammation, sleep, mood, and other variables that are linked to outside stimuli. So, when your dog’s CB1 and CB2 receptors get a supply of cannabinoids, he can better handle the symptoms of separation anxiety.
Full-spectrum oils have calming properties that help ease the symptoms of separation anxiety in dogs. Besides, it is also important to administer a proper dose of CBD oil to your dog early enough. This enables the CBD oil to take full effect on your dog.
Various animal studies that compared CBD oil with other anti-anxiety medicines have confirmed the idea that CBD oil can produce consistent effects with diazepam and other similar drugs. But unlike these drugs, CBD doesn’t come with unwanted side effects.
How much CBD should you give your dog for separation anxiety?
When you are looking to give CBD to your dog for treating anxiety, it is very important to pay attention to the total mg of CBD you are using to treat anxiety. Unlike humans, dogs cannot communicate to say the effectiveness of a CBD dose. So, being a pet parent it is solely your responsibility to identify the right dosage for your pup and pay keen attention to any signs of behavioral change in your dog.
If you are a new user of CBD and don’t know what the right dosage is for your dog’s condition, start with a small dosage and then increase it eventually to high doses depending upon the health condition of your pup.