Tinctures are one of the oldest methods of consuming cannabinoids. Before prohibition began in 1937, tinctures were the most common type of cannabis medicine in the United States.

In a previous post, read here, we discussed bioavailability and CBD carrier oils. Oils are the CBD conduit and your pup's body is the recipient. We have one golden rule to help your pet gain the most from a CBD. Always do your best to dose directly in their mouth and not on their food. Why?

Like humans, pet’s have a sublingual gland in their mouths. When a substance is administered to the sublingual gland, it gets absorbed directly into the bloodstream. The active compounds in the CBD oil diffuse through the mucous membranes in the mouth. Because sublingual consumption is more direct, it impacts the body quicker and more effectively.

fc: vcahospitals.com

When you put the CBD tincture with your pet’s food, you lose some of the cannabinoids in the digestive system. But when they are taken directly in the mouth, they can bypass the digestive system and metabolization by the liver. Instead of being broken down by the liver’s enzymes, the CBD and other active compounds in the hemp oil reach the bloodstream quicker.

fc: veterinarykey.com

Allowing some the cannabinoids to bypass the digestive system and liver also increases the percentage of compounds absorbed by your pet. Ultimately some of the CBD is always going to end up in the digestive tract because they swallow whatever is not absorbed through the membranes in their mouth.

We know that it may not be easy for everyone to dose their pet directly in their mouth for various reasons. But for those that can, we recommend pulling up on the lip and using the dropper to just squeeze it along the gum quickly. If your pet is already laying down, it may be a little easier too. Watch our "how to dose pet CBD" video for a quick example.

A success story.

Our client had been putting our CBD drops in her dog's food for the past few months. Unfortunately, some of her dogs are medical cases and need a little extra level of comfort. We urged her to try dosing directly into their mouth for a more therapeutic effect. She has 6 dogs and tried it on all. We received a message that evening saying it had made an immediate difference and they ALL were much more relaxed from that method.