Myth 1: Any CBD product will work.
With increasing marijuana legalization and interest, there’s been an explosion of CBD products for both people and pets. However, marketing has gotten ahead of science. There is promise for certain conditions like pain and epilepsy. But, other claims like improved coat health appear to have limited evidence. There is wide variation in quality and effectiveness because of the lack of oversight. Compared to prescription medications, CBD products are supplements with significantly less oversight. As a result, there are many substandard products on the market. According to Cornell University’s College of Veterinary Medicine, “a study that evaluated 29 CBD products for pets and found heavy metal contamination in four of the products. The research team determined that two products had no cannabinoids in them. Of the remaining products, only 10 were measured to have a total cannabinoid concentration that was within 10% of the amount that they claimed to have on their label.”
Use careful consideration in selecting a product. Given the abundance of approved, well studied, and regulated products available for most conditions, any CBD product should be viewed as supplements in a therapy plan.
Myth 2: Canned pumpkin helps treat diarrhea.
The fiber in canned pumpkin is vastly overrated compared to fiber supplements or therapeutic high fiber diets for pets. In fact, to feed the same amount of fiber as a therapeutic diet or supplement to a medium sized dog, you’d have to feed about 12 cups of canned pumpkin per day! For a cat, it’d still be a large amount – 2 and ½ cups! The volume alone will fill up your pet, which will mean they will miss out on getting other key nutrients in their diet. When pets improve while being fed pumpkin, it is likely a result of the increased water intake and the fact that many cases of acute diarrhea improve within days on their own. Better sources of fiber include unflavored, unsweetened versions of Benefiber or Metamucil or therapeutic high fiber diets. The type and amount depends on the size of the pet and what type of diarrhea they are having – always check with a veterinary professional! Any pet that seems ill, has repeat diarrhea cases, is a puppy/kitten, or has recently been around other cats or dogs should be evaluated by a veterinarian.
Myth 3: Fleas can’t get pets indoors or in the winter.
This risk of fleas is lower in the cooler months, but it’s growing. The vast majority of cats I see in practice with fleas are classified as “indoor only” — and there are virtually no dogs that never go outside. If we were able to jump like fleas, we could jump over skyscrapers – it’s no wonder they can get inside! Also, because our winters are warmer now, there seems to be no decrease in the number of flea cases in dogs or cats in the winter months.
Myth 4: Benadryl will help itchiness.
Benadryl (and other similar medications like Claritin) are antihistamines. They block the action of a molecule called histamine that causes a lot of allergy symptoms in people. But, histamine plays very little – if any – role in pets’ skin allergies. Our pet’s itchy skin is better compared to eczema than our seasonal allergies. There are a variety of medications that better control these symptoms. These should be paired with strategies to help reduce or avoid exposure and sensitivity.
While we’re at it – pets are more likely to have food allergies to a food they have eaten for a long time, not a new diet! Also, proteins trigger allergies and pets become allergic to the protein regardless of the diet quality.
Ken Brunson DVM, Board Member