Preventative Maintenance for Pets – Blood Pressure

Preventative Maintenance Series #2: Blood Pressure

Hemp oil and cannabidiol (CBD) products have the potential to aid the body in preventative maintenance as pets experience the natural aging process. As our beloved pets get older, they are more prone to increased blood pressure (Acierno et al., 2018). Hemp products and CBD have been gaining interest for their cardiovascular benefits after positive results from preclinical studies (Jadoon et al., 2017). Hypertension in dogs and cats can be caused by a number of reasons, including environmental or situational stress, as a secondary response to a separate condition, or as a primary diagnosis. Stress on the body throughout aging can cause blood pressure to increase slowly, and CBD may help support a healthy resting blood pressure when responding to environmental changes (Jadoon et al., 2017). CBD can be added to an animal's diet as liquid droplets mixed into food, or a hemp seed meal protein hydrolysate (HMH) supplement can be added as well.

Hemp Seed Meal Protein Hydrolysate

Hemp seed meal protein hydrolysate added to a pet's diet may be used as a preventative maintenance tool for high blood pressure (Girgih et al., 2014). These results were demonstrated in a rat study where hypertensive rats were given HMH. On average, HMH lowered systolic blood pressure to 120 mmHg compared to the control of 158 mmHg. Administering HMH also demonstrated a decrease in plasma angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) activity and plasma renin levels compared to the control group. If hypertension goes untreated for lengthened periods, it may cause target-organ damage to the kidney and eye, leading to chronic kidney disease, choroidopathy, and retinopathy (Acierno et al., 2018).

Hypertension in Dogs and Cats Classified by Risk of Target-Organ Damage (TOD)

(Data from "ACVIM consensus statement: Guidelines for the identification, evaluation, and management of systemic hypertension in dogs and cats" by Acierno et al.)

Increases in Blood Pressure in Healthy Dogs and Cats

Blood pressure can rise 1-3 mmHg every year with age in healthy dogs and cats, and even higher when animals are obese (Paul et al., 2006). Maintaining a healthy blood pressure is crucial to an animal's overall health and wellbeing. The mechanism of action behind HMH is demonstrated as decreased plasma ACE activity and renin levels, which play a direct role in lowering systolic blood pressure. Decreased renin levels cause the blood vessels to relax and become less constricted, leading to increased blood flow and less pressure buildup. ACE converts angiotensin I to angiotensin II, which raises blood pressure through constriction of blood vessels; decreased ACE levels reduce angiotensin II and allow blood vessels to stay widened (Paul et al., 2006).

The Use of Cannabidiol to Support Blood Pressure

CBD may be utilized as a supportive agent for cardiovascular health such as high blood pressure or as a preventative maintenance supplement as the aging process occurs in animals (Jadoon et al., 2017). Further research is needed to evaluate dosing levels of HMH for larger animals such as dogs and cats. There are still gaps in the science, and further research is needed on how often blood pressure fluctuates from environmental or lifestyle stressors in domesticated animals.

To bring organic, full-spectrum hemp into your aging pet's daily wellness routine, explore our hemp for dogs and hemp for cats collections.

References

1. Girgih, A. T., Alashi, A., He, R., Malomo, S., & Aluko, R. E. (2014). Preventive and treatment effects of a hemp seed (Cannabis sativa L.) meal protein hydrolysate against high blood pressure in spontaneously hypertensive rats. European Journal of Nutrition, 53(5), 1237-1246.
2. Acierno, M. J., et al. (2018). ACVIM consensus statement: Guidelines for the identification, evaluation, and management of systemic hypertension in dogs and cats. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine, 32(6), 1803-1822.
3. Paul, M., Poyan Mehr, A., & Kreutz, R. (2006). Physiology of local renin-angiotensin systems. Physiological Reviews, 86(3), 747-803.
4. Jadoon, K. A., Tan, G. D., & O'Sullivan, S. E. (2017). A single dose of cannabidiol reduces blood pressure in healthy volunteers in a randomized crossover study. JCI Insight, 2(12), e93760.