Jazz’s Second Wind

Our miniature poodle, Jazz, is 13 years old. Over the past couple of years, while I’ve been distracted by my father’s illness and death, Jazz became blind. He had large milky circles on each eye, and we figured he had cataracts. We talked about whether we could afford to have them removed, and it wasn’t likely. He was not sleeping well, getting up six or seven times a night to move his sore joints and looking for a comfortable way to lay. He’s a sweetheart, and we love him dearly.  I talked to the veterinarian about the pain I perceived he was in. She didn’t look at him long, just dismissing me and saying that she thought he was fine. I took him to an acupuncturist and chiropractor, and that helped a little temporarily, but that veterinarian observed Jazz and agreed that he probably had arthritis.  She also recommended we take him to an ophthalmologist and recommended one about 90 miles away. She prescribed Jazz Rimadyl, which helped him move and sleep better, but I was worried about the side effects. I began to look for alternative therapies.

I went to a wellness trade show and saw a booth advertising CBD surrounded by a large crowd. Here in Colorado, I saw CBD and thought it was about marijuana. So I kept walking. I am a straight-arrow and not interested in recreational drugs. The next morning, I woke thinking of the CBD and all the stories I’ve heard from people benefiting from medical marijuana. Medical marijuana is bred for its medicinal properties, which is CBD and the associated terpenes and other compounds. The THC, which is the chemical that makes people high, is very low. Recreational marijuana is the opposite, with high THC and low CBD. THC, by the way, is toxic to dogs. As an intuitive person, I usually pay close attention to thoughts I have upon waking since they often feel like messages from my intuitive self. I decided to return to the trade show and talk to the people at the CBD booth.

I was pleasantly surprised to find that it wasn’t about marijuana at all. The booth sold products related to its cousin, hemp. Hemp seed oil with less than 0.5% THC is legal to mail and use throughout the US, no prescription necessary. I talked to the sales person and learned how to dose a dog as small as Jazz. I crossed my fingers and took a chance. It has been about two months now that he has taken a hemp seed tincture twice daily. You should see him now!

I can’t tell you how happy we are! Jazz is sleeping much better at night. Since he sleeps curled up against me, I sleep better too. He is moving just like he used to, scampering up the stairs, jumping up on me standing on his hind legs, and jumping up on the bed! Even better – he isn’t blind anymore!! Hemp is not known to be a cure for cataracts but is a known cure for glaucoma. As I saw the white disks on the front of his eyes clearing, I finally looked on the internet. Sure enough, pictures of dog cataracts and glaucoma looked the same to an amateur like me.

My 13-year-old dog is back to acting like he did when he was 6 or 8! He has his second wind, and we couldn’t be happier! Just in case you think of getting such a product for your dog, I’d like to pass along something I learned. Hemp oil is not the same as hemp seed oil. It doesn’t have CBD, (or has a low amount) and it had no terpenes. Just plain hemp oil made Jazz vomit and have diarrhea, so I don’t recommend it! The miracle ingredients are CBD and terpenes.