TJ

CBD has exploded in popularity over the past year or so. Nowadays, it’s pretty much in everything—in wine, coffee, even ice cream! 

Why is it so popular? Because of its therapeutic effects. For one thing, it can be used to treat certain ailments such as chronic pain.

But did you know that the same thing goes for pets? That’s right—you can use it for Fido! The compound behaves very similarly in animals, so it has many of the same benefits. 

So, what are the benefits of CBD oil for your dog? How can it help from a health perspective?

Do you want to know? If so, be sure to read the rest of this post!

What is CBD?

Cannabidiol, also known as CBD, is one of the many chemical compounds that are present in the cannabis plant. Unlike its sibling, THC, it is not psychoactive—that is, it does not produce the sensation of getting “high.”

As a matter of fact, CBD can actually counteract the effects of THC. It does this by binding to CB1 receptors in the central nervous system.

What makes CBD so appealing? It can help with a variety of conditions with minimal side effects—this makes it suitable for both humans and pets.

What is CBD Oil?

CBD oil is a natural product that is extracted from the cannabis plant.

The actual extraction consists of several steps. First off, an individual must harvest plants that have high levels of CBD.

From there, certain solvents are added to separate the compounds. More specifically, they are forced through the ground plant material. This yields oil that contains high concentrations of CBD.

Should You Give CBD To Your Pet? 10 Benefits of CBD Oil For Your Dog

CBD products have invaded the pet industry—and for good reason. As mentioned earlier, they come with a number of health benefits! Here’s what you need to know.

1. It Can Reduce Anxiety

Separation anxiety is a relatively common behavioral issue. Dogs with this condition hate being alone, and it’s not uncommon for them to whine or be destructive.

Fortunately, there are ways to treat this problem. For instance, you can modify their behavior with desensitization techniques. Some dogs, however, won’t respond to such treatment.

Does that apply to your dog? If so, you might want to try using CBD oil. As it turns out, the product can help reduce their anxiety—just like in humans!

2. It Can Help Treat Epilepsy

Epilepsy is the most common neurological condition seen in dogs. According to the American Animal Hospital Association, it affects up to five percent of the canine population!

An inherited disorder, it often causes sudden and recurring seizures. Symptoms can include jerking, collapsing, muscle twitching, tongue chewing, or drooling. In some cases, they might also lose consciousness.

While certain medications may help to control the seizures, they can be harmful to your pet’s organs over time.

Instead of that, why not try CBD oil? Studies have shown that it is effective—even for drug-resistant epilepsy!

3. It Can Help to Fight Cancer

Cancer is relatively common, especially in older dogs. To give you a better idea, approximately 50 percent of canines over the age of 10 will develop tumors at some point.

While any dog can develop cancer, some breeds are more prone to the condition than others. For instance, Labrador Retrievers, German Shepherds, Rottweilers, and Golden Retrievers have greater incidences than other breeds.

Treatment-wise, there are several options. Depending on how advanced the cancer is, a vet may opt for radiation, chemotherapy, or surgery.

While it isn’t officially endorsed by the American Veterinary Medical Association, CBD oil can also help fight against cancer.

Preliminary studies have shown that the product has an anti-tumor effect, which prevents cancer cells from growing.

4. It Can Help Relieve Pain

Certain conditions can be painful for your pet. For instance, it’s not uncommon for hip dysplasia, intervertebral disc disease, arthritis, and pancreatitis to cause them great amounts of pain.

More often than not, a dog in pain will exhibit some degree of agitation. Certain symptoms such as trembling, snapping, or reduced appetite are also common in those with chronic pain.

Fortunately, there are drugs available that can help. Sometimes, however, that’s not enough.

Are the medications not working for your pet? If so, you might want to consider giving them CBD oil as the cannabinoids in the product can help relieve pain.

You don’t have to use the oil either—there are other products that you can try. For instance, some treats contain CBD for dogs with arthritis.

5. It Can Prevent Autoimmune Disease

There are a number of autoimmune diseases that can affect canines.

Some of the most common ones include systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA), and immune-mediated thrombocytopenia (ITP).

While they all exhibit different symptoms, they do have one thing in common—they are all caused by a faulty immune system in which the body attacks itself.

According to recent studies, however, CBD can help to prevent this. How? By suppressing a compound called Th17.

A part of the immune system, these pro-inflammatory cells play an active role in the recruitment of white blood cells.

6. It Can Reduce Inflammation

Inflammation is the body’s reaction to infection and illness. It can be caused by a variety of conditions from arthritis to a fractured bone.

Generally speaking, the affected area will be red and swollen. Depending on the underlying cause, there might also be other symptoms.

Fortunately, there is a type of medication that is effective for reducing inflammation—non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Veterinarians often prescribe it for ailments such as arthritis.

Drugs aren’t the only thing that can help, though. Believe it or not, cannabinoids can also reduce inflammation.

How? They inhibit the production of inflammatory white blood cells. Not only that, but CBD also decreases the release of inflammatory cytokines.

7. It Can Protect the Nervous System

Neurological disorders are those that affect the nervous system.

Some of the most common ones found in dogs include vestibular disease, epilepsy, and intervertebral disc degeneration.

While it depends on the specific condition, neurological disorders often result in seizures, tremors, unsteady gait, and problems with urination. There’s also a chance of paralysis if it involves the nerves.

While CBD might not cure these conditions, it can help to prevent them. Researchers have found that cannabinoid can protect the brain from cell death caused by toxins and free radicals.

8. It Can Help With Nausea

Nausea and vomiting can arise from various causes. For instance, it might be due to eating too much food, parasites, infection, or even pregnancy.

Unless your dog vomits frequently, however, it’s probably nothing to worry about—they might have just gotten into something that they shouldn’t have.

If it’s happened more than once, though, you might want to bring them to the vet for an examination.

As you might be aware, there are certain medications that can help with nausea and vomiting. Don’t want to go that route?

There’s always the option of giving them CBD oil. That’s right—the cannabinoid is known for helping with nausea, even in small doses.

9. It Promotes Cardiovascular Health

Humans aren’t the only ones that can get heart attacks—dogs can too. This occurs when blood flow to the heart’s muscular wall is blocked.

With that said, they are quite rare. Want to reduce your pet’s risk? Consider giving them CBD oil.

The compound not only protects blood vessels from damage, but it also reduces blood pressure and heart rate, both of which are beneficial from a health perspective.

In some cases, CBD can reduce damage from damaged vessels as well!

10. It Promotes Homeostasis

What is homeostasis? You can think of it as the proper functioning of the body. When this balance gets thrown out, diseases strike.

There are ways, however, to protect this balance. Does it surprise you that taking CBD is one of them?

It’s true—it can promote homeostasis in the body. In other words, it’s good for your pet’s overall wellbeing.

CBD Is Beneficial For Dogs in Many Ways

And there we have it—10 ways that cannabinoid can help your pet! As you can see, the compound is beneficial to their health in many different ways.

Hopefully, that gives you a better idea of the benefits of CBD oil for your dog. 

What’s your experience with the product? Let us know in the comments below!

But why should that be so? You may have a spotless driving record. Your car might be among the road’s safest. However, in many states, you may spend more on car insurance due to your gender.

Nobody is exempt. Although men usually pay higher, especially when they are at a young age, recent studies have shown women typically pay higher when they’re at an older age.

California followed in the footsteps of six other states this year in banning gender as a condition to fix car insurance rates. Everywhere else, drivers have to pay hundreds of dollars annually in raised premiums due to the impact of gender on their prices.

Deciding if such rating is reasonable is dependent on your point of view. Nonetheless, drivers can make a way out by choosing insurers that don’t emphasize on gender.

“The soundest thing to do is surf for insurance,” reveals James Lynch, chief actuary of the Insurance Information Institute. “Different companies offer incredibly differing prices, and you’re likely to find a suitable deal by surfing around.”

Who Pays Higher?

Insurers take many factors into consideration, including driving demographics and records, to ascertain which drivers are highly prone to accidents and so should pay higher. They’re mandated to explain their prices to state regulators. In Massachusetts, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Montana, Hawaii, some areas of Michigan and recently California, insurers are banned from using gender as a criterion. In other states, the use of gender is massively varied.

Men traditionally paid higher for the last couple of years. However, in 2018, the group discovered many huge companies dealing in car insurance usually demand higher rates from 40- and 60- year old females than the men in the same age bracket.

The research featured rated basic liability insurance from six companies in 10 cities and discovered extensive discrepancies. For instance, Youngamericainsurance.net quoted more expensive prices for Baltimore based 40-year-old women and more expensive prices for the Tampa, Florida based males in the same age bracket. For 20-year-olds based in Cleveland, Young America Insurance revealed more expensive prices for men while Geico showed more expensive rates for women.

A 2018 analysis of Goodtogoinsutance.org showed identical rating for complete coverage plans, which offer wider protection. It looked at average yearly prices among the biggest insurers in 20 ZIP codes of every state for a 2017 Toyota Camry for single drivers aged 40-year old with good credit and flawless records.

Seven out of the nation’s 10 biggest insurers revealed more expensive average prices for women in several states and more expensive prices for men in the other states.

Still, gender-based rate discrepancies were overshadowed by general price dissimilarities among companies. Therefore, a woman may spare hundreds of dollars per annum with the most inexpensive insurer in her location – even if said insurer would give a man in her age bracket cheaper rates.

An instance from Young America Insurance analysis highlights the need to surf for insurance. Take a look below at two insurer’s average prices for Texas drivers:

Some Tips for Insurance Surfers:

• Compare and contrast very cheap car insurance no deposit quotes. Due to how rating differs widely, procure quotes from several insurers to assist you in choosing a deal suitable for you.
• Ask for a rate match. Shown a competitors rating, your insurer might offer reduced pricing, says Hunter.
• Be ready to switch insurers. Your present discounts might not be better than the rates you could get somewhere else.

Is it Right?

The same way it’s unjust to fix insurance prices on race or hair color, so is it with using gender as a criteria. Lynch from The Insurance Information Institute’s expresses, however, that it is not reasonable for reliable drivers to be given rates as high as that of the unsafe drivers.

Compared to females, males possess poorer driving records, particularly those below 25 years of age.

However, under the recent California regulations, that would no longer be the case. Prices may increase for teenage girls, admits Michael Soller, a deputy commissioner for communications with the California Department of Insurance.

Hunter queries the real foundation for some disparities. How can different insurance companies justify to regulators that women are securer drivers, that also, men are securer and that the two genders are equivalent?

The inconsistency is plausible: Insurance companies utilize separate data; therefore, they have separate outlooks on risk.

We might be all a bit wrong, but what we’re attempting to do is evaluate something that is indeed inexplicable.

You’re fresh out of college and that means it is time to start repaying those pesky student loans.

Besides paying off loans, you also want to save some money. Maybe you want to buy a new house or possibly sock some money away for your dream vacation.

Whatever your goal is for saving money, you need great finance advice that will help you navigate these choppy waters. Continue reading this article to learn fifteen money saving tips for recent college graduates.

Must-Know Finance Advice

You’ve made it through college — high five for that! Now it is time to “adult” and here are some tips to help you do just that.

1. Escape Living Paycheck to Paycheck

When you’re living paycheck to paycheck, your stress levels will be maxed out. One misstep and the whole house of cards is going down.

To put your mind at ease, save 20% to 25% of your paycheck. Most people don’t even save 5% of their paycheck so you’ll already be ahead of the game.

2. Track Everything

If you don’t track how much money is coming in and going out, you’re not going to be able to save enough money. There will always be something that needs your attention. There’s always something new and shiny that you want.

Without proper tracking, you won’t know where your money is going and you’re going to overspend almost 100% of the time.

3. Don’t Hold Out for the Best Job

It might feel great sleeping in throughout the week while you’re searching for that dream job but this is going to put you behind the eight ball.

Get out there and find any job that is going to give you relevant experience and start bringing cash into the house. Some cash is better than no cash.

4. Build Strong Money Habits

If your money habits are sucking money out of your savings, there is no way you’re going to get ahead. Since you’re tracking everything you spend, you’ll be able to see where you have money leaks.

5. Learn to Take Risks

You’re young and ready to take on the world but many people are risk-averse. You don’t want to lose money on your investments but it could actually be hurting your ability to profit.

You also should be willing to take risks with the kind of jobs that you work. Remember that low risk usually = low reward.

6. Decrease Your Big Expenses

The less that you pay for your main expenses, the more money you’ll have left over to save for the future. You don’t need a massive house and you definitely don’t want to throw money out the window renting.

You’ll often be able to pay less by buying a house instead of paying a landlord rent.

Also, think about your transportation and how you can decrease the amount that you pay for commuting to work and getting around to your favorite hobbies.

7. Invest — Even If You’re in Debt

You’re paying down those student debts and you likely think you need to get them paid off before you start investing but that’s not the case. The longer that you wait to invest, the less time you’ll have to be able to build your wealth.

8. Use a Roth 401k If Possible

Your employer likely offers a 401k program and possibly even an employer match. Don’t only contribute up to the employer match but instead put as much money in as you can afford

Not all employers offer a Roth 401k but see if it is an option at your company.

9. Start Roth IRA Contributions

While Roth IRAs are limited and you can only put so much money in them, you should have one and max out the current allowance. Your investments grow tax-free in these accounts so don’t miss out on this advantage.

10. Invest In New Skills

If you want to save more money, you’ll need to learn new skills so you can earn more money. Set aside a part of your paycheck for learning new skills that will help you increase your earning power.

11. Evaluate Refinancing or Consolidating Options

If you think you’re paying too much money on your student loans, you can look at websites like the Captaincash website to see if you can save money by refinancing or consolidating.

12. Goodbye Credit Card Debt

Credit card debt will eat a hole in your cash. Many credit card companies charge over 25% in interest which will make you feel as if you’re running in quicksand.

13. Diversify Your Income

Don’t get stuck with one stream of income. If you only have one stream of income and it dries up, your savings are out the window.

14. Start a Blog

You’re likely an expert in some field. Maybe what you went to college for? Don’t squander the knowledge — share it!

You can even make some extra cash to put in savings while you sleep if you set your blog up to make money off of ads or affiliate offers.

15. Hedge Against Burn Out

If you’re burning the candle at both ends, you may cause yourself to burn out. If you’re feeling signs of burn out, you need to give yourself plenty of downtime.

Burn out can burn through your savings due to your inability to perform at work.

Grow Your Savings and Win at Life

We all know that finance advice 101 says to grow your savings so you can have a nice nest egg when you retire. But sometimes we don’t have the extra money to do that.

The above tips will help you free up cash so you can start socking away some money so you can enjoy your retirement years. Visit our blog to learn more tips and tricks for living life to the fullest.

Watermelon, Apple Pie, Sand, Surf, Sun… Summer brings with it all kinds of pleasures, but it also has its share of health dangers. In fact, heat exposure alone caused over 8,000 deaths in the US between 1979-1999! The good news is, there are some easy ways to help stay safe this summer.

We’ve put together this list of some of the top summertime health tips to keep your family safe and comfortable during the warmer months! Read on to learn more!

1. Avoid Overexposure to the Sun

Spending more time outside in the summer months means you are at a higher risk for sun overexposure. While it’s true that exposure to the sun is a good source of vitamin D, which helps with depression and anxiety, it also has a dark side.

Ultraviolet radiation from the sun is one of the leading contributing factors to skin cancer. For this reason, it is very important that you never spend time in the sun without wearing sunscreen to protect your skin. It is important to use sunscreen that protects from both UVA and UVB rays and is SPF-30 or higher.

If you plan on swimming, use a water-resistant sunscreen and don’t forget to reapply every few hours. A sunhat can also be a nice item that can help protect your face and neck from sunburn, as well as keep you cooler.

2. Beware of Heat Exhaustion

With the summer sun can come blazing temperatures. While that makes being outside more enjoyable than the frigid winter months, it’s important to make sure you don’t get too hot. If untreated, heat exhaustion can quickly lead to heat stroke which can be life-threatening. 

You can help your body to stay cool by wearing light, loose-fitting clothing. If you plan to exercise or do strenuous outdoor activity, consider doing it in the early morning or late evening when the sun is less intense and the temperatures are lower. If possible, stay indoors during the peak heat hours of noon- 2 pm, or seek shady areas outdoors.

It is possible to get heat exhaustion indoors if you don’t have working air conditioning and improper ventilation. If your AC system isn’t working, contact your local AC services provider to fix your system so your family can stay cool and safe this summer!

3. Stay Hydrated

Water is essential to the proper functioning of your body, and the hot summer months make it much easier for you to lose water through sweat. Dehydration can cause and contribute to a lot of different health issues, including heat stroke, kidney problems, and seizures. It is important during hot summer days not to wait until you feel thirsty to drink; be proactive by drinking water regularly to stay hydrated and healthy!

Summertime Health Tips: All the ‘Cool’ Kids Follow Them!

If you and your family follow these summertime health tips you will be able to stay cool and healthy and enjoy your summer to the fullest!

If you enjoyed this article, stick around! We’ve got a lot more tips to keep you in the know!

A great deal of research is currently underway to try and explore the hidden health benefits of cannabidiol-CBD in humans. The same, however, can’t be said of research on CBD’s effects on pets. But still, it hasn’t kept pet owners from feeding CBD to their pets.

Going by the results, CBD has proven beneficial for pets. It can help alleviate and prevent anxiety, poor appetite, convulsions, arthritis, stress, inflammation, and the spread of cancer among numerous other diseases in pets. It can serve both as a treatment for an ailing pet or as a simple daily supplement.

This is good news for pet lovers and owners who want to extend the same benefits they get from ingesting CBD to their pets, says a study done by https://petsho.com.

But along with all these benefits comes specific shortcomings or side effects that your pet may experience.

If you are thinking about giving your pet CBD oil, you should click here for some CBD pros and cons as well as some tips on what you should know.

But First, What is CBD?

The hemp plant contains several compounds inside it. Of all these, two compounds particularly stand out due to their effect on humans and pets. They include Cannabidiol-CBD and Tetrahydrocannabinol-THC.

Tetrahydrocannabinol is loved for its psychoactive effects while Cannabidiol is favored for its limitless health benefits in humans and pets.

For pets, CBD oil is immensely beneficial. But you shouldn’t feed your pets on anything that contains THC because it has been found to have toxic effects on them.

What You Should Know About Giving CBD to Pets

As a pet owner, it is easy to get carried away and join the CBD oil for pets bandwagon. But note that this is a type of treatment like any other. In order for you and your pet to reap the benefits, you must be careful.

Here are some important details that you should keep in mind before introducing your pets to CBD.

Not All CBD Products Are the Same

When you have to choose between a lower quality CBD oil and a higher quality organic CBD oil for cats with anxiety, always choose the organic product. Organic products are safer, they work faster and have longer-lasting effects on your dog.

Plus, they don’t contain fungicides, pesticides or solvents that are bound to have negative effects on your pets’ health.

Don’t Shop Based on the Price

In some countries where the hemp used to make CBD products is imported from, it is ok to use genetic modification, herbicides, heavy metals, pesticides and other chemicals on the plants. This, in a bid to make them grow faster and keep them free of pests and common plant diseases.

CBD oil from this imported hemp, therefore, contains lower levels of purity and sells at much cheaper prices.

Hemp that is grown in countries where there are stringent growing and manufacturing processes sells at significantly higher prices. This is because it contains no additives, or chemicals and has no toxic effects on pets.

Introduce CBD Gradually

Animals react differently to CBD products. Some may experience no side effects, others may show mild signs of the treatments’ effect and others may fall sick as a result. To be on the safe side, how about introducing the CBD little by little?

If, for example, you bought CBD for your dog’s anxiety in the form of oil, pills or treats, divide them into smaller manageable pieces and give them to your dog.

Watch the dog for any adverse signs or reactions. If need be, rush them to the hospital for immediate treatment.

CBD Pros and Cons

There’s little scientific research published to help figure out exactly how helpful CBD is for pets.

But the numerous pet owners who’ve tried it can attest to its increased effectiveness in treating some common health conditions in their cats, dogs, and other animals.

Below is a look at some CBD pros and cons you should know about:

Pros of CBD

CBD offers a number of benefits to pets. Some of these benefits include:

• It helps treat and reduce chronic pain.
• It helps control and cure seizures.
• It helps regulate heart rate and is necessary for a healthy heart.
• It contains anti-inflammatory properties.
• It helps increase appetite.
• It fights against anxiety and other neurological issues in pets.
• It helps ease cancer symptoms. It can also to stop cancer cell growth/regeneration.
• It helps alleviate bowel disorders.
• It helps reduce sleep disorders.
• It offers relief from nausea and vomiting.

While CBD products for pets have lots of good in store for your four-legged sidekicks, if you administer it the wrong way, you risk causing your pet great pain and inconvenience.

It is imperative to know how much your pet weighs. This, because you should administer CBD according to your cat or your dogs’ weight. The amount of CBD you give to a larger dog is not the same amount you should give to your smaller sized dog or cat.

The larger the pet, the more CBD they need, the smaller the pet the smaller the dose of CBD they should get if you want them to reap the positive benefits as listed above.

Cons of CBD

Despite the above-highlighted benefits, CBD can have some negative effects of CBD on pets. These effects include:

• Dry mouth: irrespective of how particular you were about the amount of CBD you gave your pet, you still may notice that they will get very thirsty. If it’s a dog, for example, you’ll notice that they produce less saliva owing to its decreased production. In this case, it is advisable to give them as much water as possible at least until the side effect fades away.
• Reduced blood pressure: your pet may start walking funny or may stand still unable to move their leg forward. This happens due to lightheadedness brought about by the slight drop in blood pressure after feeding CBD to your pet. If this happens to your pet, don’t worry, but make sure that they are comfortable. Usually, the feeling of lightheadedness is brief and tends to wear off in a matter of minutes.
• Drowsiness: even the best organic CBD oil for dogs used to combat anxiety can cause drowsiness. The higher the dose the stronger and longer your pet is likely to experience drowsiness as a side effect.

FAQs about CBD for Pets

Wondering where to find reliable answers? Here are some common questions pet owners ask and their answers.

Is CBD Oil for Pets the Same as CBD Oil for Humans?

It is normal to see pet owners giving their own CBD oil to their cats or dogs to see if it has the same effects. While there are no life-threatening dangers involved, it is always advisable to offer your pet CBD oil supplements designed only for animals.

Is It Legal to Give CBD to My Pets?

There are two types of CBD, one that comes from the Marijuana plant variety and another that comes from the hemp plant variety.

Majority of countries like Canada, for example, have legalized the use of CBD extracted from the hemp plant. They, however, do not allow the use of CBD oil from marijuana to be used either on pets or humans.

On condition that the hemp-derived CBD for your pet has THC content below 0.3% and was grown by a licensed grower/ supplier then it is perfectly legal to feed it to your pets.

Should I Seek Permission from The Vet Before Giving CBD to My Pets?

Owing to the uncertainty of your pets’ health condition before offering them CBD it is advisable to first call or visit the vet.

Here, your pets will get full medical checkups before you can give them any form of treatment/medication including CBD.

In addition, you will get clear instructions on how much, in regard to CBD dosage, you should give your pets and the schedule to follow.

Most vets in states where CBD is legal can dispense CBD products for pets to their patients. They can guide you on the type of CBD to use, advise you on the proper storage methods and tell you what CBD side effects to expect.

Is CBD Safe for My Pets?

The use of CBD on pets is quite recent. There’s a lot of ongoing research and studies to try and see how safe CBD is for pets.

While some pet owners swear by its benefits, there are a good number of pet owners who’ve also come out to banish its use on pets.

It all goes back to administration and dosage depending on your pet size and the illness your pet is suffering from. Each pet is different and as such, it is your proper use of CBD products on your pets that will determine whether or not it is safe.

Are There Any Risks Associated with CBD for Pets?

You shouldn’t introduce CBD to your pets if the same pets are already on some other medication.

CBD is capable of interacting with other medications which could result in more serious health issues. The interactions coupled with CBD side effects could prove detrimental to your pets’ health.

Another common risk is TCH contamination. Purchasing products from unlicensed growers and suppliers means that proper methods weren’t followed from the growing stages to the processing stages.

If you give your pet this substandard CBD product you risk exposing them to high amounts of THC. You could easily end up losing your pet.

When Should You Stop Giving CBD to Your Pet?

Notice any adverse reactions such as distress, difficulty breathing or any other unusual behavior not listed as part of the side effects?

There are numerous CBD pros and cons. But if you suspect that your pet is not taking it well, visit the vet and get proper diagnosis and treatment.

To find out more about how countries like Canada are coping with the legalization of marijuana, check out our blog.