By Ruth Hill R.N.
Eight years ago, the landscape for veterinarians educating or recommending cannabis for pets was abysmally absent. State laws legalizing cannabis allowed Medical Doctors, Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine, and Doctors of Podiatric Medicine to verify that a patient has a serious medical condition that would benefit from the use of marijuana. But it excluded a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine. Just the mention of marijuana for pets sent a veterinarian shivering in silence and running in the other direction.
That changed in September of 2018 when CA became the first state to protect veterinary license-holders from disciplinary action solely for discussing the therapeutic use of cannabis in animals. With 10,000 research studies on cannabis, mostly with human use, veterinarians sent a Paul Revere signal for research on dogs, cats, and the endocannabinoid system (ECS) in animals.
In the past, I discussed the ECS, discovered in 1992, for all living animals except insects.
The animal and human ECS respond similarly to cellular processes. The differences are in the distribution of the receptors. CB1 receptors in the hindbrain structures of canines produce a unique neurological effect, “static ataxia,” when stimulated by delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). While not fatal, it is scary for the dog and owner and often sends the animal to the emergency room.
In a study of seven representative invertebrate species (McPartland, 2006), a tritiated ligand-binding assay identified cannabinoid receptors in non-mammalian species, including birds, reptiles, and fish. Stephen Cital, a Registered Veterinary Technician (RVT), who researches, writes, and lectures on how to treat all pets with a broad-spectrum hemp that contains all the cannabinoids, enzymes, and terpenes in the plant, devoid of THC.
A researcher from Colorado State University recently reported finding that 89 percent of epileptic dogs had fewer seizures when taking the chicken-flavored CBD oil, as compared to about 20 percent that were on a placebo. Another project, conducted at Cornell University, appeared to show that dogs treated with CBD oil had a clinically significant reduction in pain and an increase in activity.
Many pet owners do not take the complications of using cannabis with THC. Pet cannabis products in the dispensaries can be used in concentrations of CBD:THC 30:1 or CBD:THC of 20:1 for intense pain or cancer. Severe pet conditions, such as cancer, require medical personnel. There are many hemp products that would be more advisable due to their low percentage of less than 0.3% THC or the hemp will be illegal. If, a batch of hemp tested by regulators contains more than 0.3% THC, the whole batch will be disposed of.
Pets arrive unconscious at a veterinarian’s office with owners who are reluctant to fess up when questioned about cannabis use. The most frequent conditions discussed were pain management, anxiety, seizures, and storm/fireworks phobias. Medical cannabis for pets usually comes as a liquid oil or as treats. Liquids are preferable because dosing can be more accurately controlled and because CBD may be better absorbed through the tissues of the mouth rather than the digestive tract.
Vaporized or smoked cannabis should NEVER be used with pets. This can damage their lungs and can lead to accidental overdose. Another renowned veterinarian, Robert Silver, has researched the ECS of pets. Silver recommends a dosage of hemp oil supplementation (based on body weight of feline and canine candidates) to be followed. His recommendation is a range of hemp based on weight: 0.1mg/kg to 0.5mg/kg for anxiety.
Similarly, human edibles should not be given to your pet, as they are difficult to dose accurately and may contain ingredients (such as raisins, chocolate, etc.) that are toxic to animals. If you put the dropper in the pet’s mouth, remember to wipe the dropper off, or you will get mold or a variety of microorganisms contaminating the bottle. For more information, go to https://www.projectcbd.org/medicine/cbd-cannabis-pets-pain.
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