CBD Basics and Safety

CBD is all over the news and the internet as the wonder medicine for all sorts of ailments and diseases, for pets and humans. Some stories are truly inspiring – Dateline: Growing Promise was a recent program about human use of medical cannabis, with a focus on epilepsy.

CBD comes as oils, pills, pet treats, spays and nearly every known form of delivery. But CBD is not all the same. Knowing some basic facts about CBD is important for your pet’s safety. Remember, your pets are significantly more sensitive to these products than humans so there are greater risks if the products are not pure, improperly labeled, improperly used or otherwise dangerous.
CBD is shorthand for cannabidiol, which is a single molecule typically derived from cannabis sativa. As such, CBD is among more than 80 cannabinoids (molecules) present in cannabis that may have medical applications. For example, THCa, the non-psychoactive pre-cursor acid that converts to tetrahydrocannabinol (THCd-9), the psychoactive molecule in cannabis, has been recognized as releasing anti-inflammatory enzymes.

CBD 101: Cannabis CBD vs. Untested Hemp and Safety

CBD can also be extracted from hemp. Although the line is blurring as a result of modern cultivation techniques, the most important distinction for pet safety is that CBD oil extracted from hemp does not have to be tested as a matter of law in California or elsewhere.

This matters because some methods used to process oil from hemp can actually intensify the amount of any existing impurities, ranging from pesticides, soil impurities (hemp is a bio-accumulator) and grow supplements. While US farmers are scaling up their hemp production under the 2014 Farm Bill, and the nearly passed 2018 version, much of the CBD filling pet stores shelves may be imported from Eastern Europe or China, raising significant questions about impurities and safety. The upshot: know the source of CBD and avoid cheap products using hemp cultivated in distant locations.

By contrast, cannabis extracted CBD with more than 0.3% of THCd-9 must be tested and pass California regulations, which are phasing in more tests, like heavy metals, which most CBD oils grown outside of the US may actually fail. At right:ratio, all of our CBD is subject to third-party laboratory tests required by law and must pass, though passage doesn’t guarantee use in right:ratio. In fact, we frequently reject CBD and other cannabinoid extracts that pass all CA tests because of the presence of impurities with special toxicity for dogs.

July 4th – Fireworks, Loud Noise and Canine Anxiety

Canine anxiety over fireworks is well known, and many well recognized voices on canines, such as Caesar Milan, have helpful suggestions for coping with July 4th. The weeks that surround this national holiday often feel like dog years for owner’s whose pets suffer from severe anxiety caused by fireworks. Caesarrecognizes there may be a need for medication and offers a range of solutions that many pet owners have tried.
We have been formulating for severe anxiety, including separation anxiety leading to destructive behavior, for two years. It is not a simple feat to calm a extremely anxious animal without sedation or loss of personality and many pet owners despair over recommendations to give their pets human drugs, such as Prozac. Fluoxetine, the chemical name for Prozac, is among the class of pharmaceuticals Selective Serotonin Re-uptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) and has an array of side-effects in humans, to be sure, according to the NIH.
If your pet acts like every day around the Fourth is seven years long, contact us for a custom formula without side-effects to help alleviate the severe anxiety this loud and extended holiday may cause in your animal. For customers seeking relief solely for this condition, we will formulate custom right:ratio 15 ml half bottles ($108, including all taxes and shipping) during June and early July 2018.

Keeping the Momentum for AB-2215 Allowing Vets to Discuss Medical Cannabis with Pet Owners

We have been promoting awareness of AB-2215,to lift California legal limitations that prevent veterinarians from discussing or recommending medical cannabis. As we previously noted last month, the bill is getting through the legislature. Keep up the momentum by writing Ash Kalra’s office, the legislator sponsoring legislation or by signing the petition started by Dr. Gary Richter, DVM.
Write Assemblyman Kalra – Click Here
Sign the Petition – Click Here

Miracle & Dinky – Two Dogs Dear to right:ratio

Miracle III was originally owned by Canine Companions for Independence and, through happenstance, is largely responsible for the launch of right:ratio. She is now 4 years old, having failed CCI’s professional training, keeping many people smiling with her pure joy of life.

Dinky is a rescue Chihuahua whose absolute charm, 24/7, even astounds seasoned dog owners. She inspires her owner at home and in the right:ratio offices, and everyone else she meets with her undeniable affection.