Hemp/CBD oil is the supplement of the day, the latest fad. While I believe it can be beneficial for a variety of conditions, including seizures, immune support, cancer, aging-related issues, and anxiety, I fear that so many pet owners are jumping on the hemp/CBD bandwagon with no understanding of the science involved.

There are many diseases for which a proper diagnosis is essential; simply giving a pet hemp/CBD harms the pet if the proper diagnosis is not made. Additionally, it is rare that hemp/CBD should ever be used as the sole treatment; simply giving a pet hemp/CBD doesn’t treat the pet but rather (may) treat the disease, which is no different than giving a pet a drug to treat the disease while ignoring the pet’s health. In my holistic functional medicine practice, our focus is primarily on the pet and not the disease. If needed, hemp/CBD is used as part of a holistic treatment plan once the proper diagnosis is made, and the pet’s body is restored to its proper function. Finally, keep in mind that there are numerous hemp/CBD products available. I have seen a lot of “garbage” products that do not help the pet and may, in fact, harm it (and these products definitely harm the pet parent’s pocketbook if a worthless product is purchased. And keep in mind that every CBD product is useless if the proper dosing is not used; dosing must be tailored to the pet’s specific needs rather than following a generic label dose.