Pet Project

Fido & Fluffy: A Review of the Basics

By Amy Marie Orozco

True, it’s raining cats and dogs with the medical cannabis available for pets, but why just for cats and dogs, not hamsters or birds? The underlying reason is because any medical research on cannabis was illegal, or highly regulated and top secret at best. As more and more states are legalizing recreational and medical cannabis research has increased. Not surprising, oftentimes research — cannabis or otherwise — is profit driven. With cats and dogs being the favored pets in households, they are the first beneficiaries of the nonhuman animal research. It should be noted that state laws legalizing cannabis use for people do not apply to other animals.

While we wait for research to catch up let’s look at cannabis basics for cats and dogs. Always check with your veterinarian, and we recommend purchasing products at a legal dispensary.

Cannabis can be helpful in treating these pet conditions.

Anxiety: Nothing like a neighbor’s complaint about nonstop yapping or shredded upholstery to fuel the search for a calming device. CBD is believed to be an effective sedative, without lethargic and heavy-eyed side effects.

Seizures: As CBD has proven to be successful in treating epilepsy in humans, veterinarians and pets’ people are investigating trying it for pets. Much of the research evidence is anecdotal at this point; consultation with your veterinarian is necessary.

Loss of Appetite: A furry loved-one’s loss of interest in the food bowl is a sure sign that something is amiss. A pet needs to visit a veterinarian right away. Ask your vet about CBD, which has been shown to lessen nausea and increase appetite. Yes, THC is famous for bringing on the munchies, but CBD is a safer option (at this point according to research).

Pain: Most likely the #1 reason people investigate cannabis as medicine is to alleviate pain, whether chronic such as arthritis or (hopefully) temporary due to an injury. And so it goes with pet owners. Pharmaceuticals side effects include stomach problems, sedation, and wear and tear on the organs, among others. THC can be toxic to pets, best to stick to CBD for helping with pain and inflammation.

As most pet owners know, administering medicine to dogs is much easier than to cats. Fortunately, CBD comes in the forms of oils, tinctures, and edible treats. Your veterinarian can share some tricks of dispensing meds in a non-combative way.