cannabis & Your pet

How it can help and what to avoid

BY STORY STUDIO

As more humans discover the health benefits of cannabis, it’s only natural that pet owners have begun exploring the same effects for their furry friends. Just like us, pets, including cats, dogs, and even horses, suffer from conditions that could benefit from the natural healing of cannabis. But, is it safe? Does it even work? Our full guide to pets and cannabis covers these questions, as well as how cannabis can help pets, and what to avoid.

HOW PETS CAN BENEFIT FROM CBD

While research is still catching up on the human side of cannabis, studies of benefits for pets are scarce. What we have learned through real-time experience and preliminary early studies is that CBD is better than THC at treating common pet ailments. With the increase in use and sales for CBD pet products, pet owners must be onto something. In just one year from 2017 to 2018, CBD pet goods quadrupled in sales from $8 million to $32 million. No matter who is using CBD, the cannabinoid is proving to be quite effective. As a refresher, CBD is the non-psychoactive cannabinoid that is found primarily in cannabis hemp plants, while THC produces psychoactive effects and is found primarily in cannabis marijuana plants. Through research and widespread use, we know that CBD has a variety of proven benefits that can help pets just as much as humans. Here’s a quick overview of the top reasons pet owners are treating their pets with CBD. Pain and arthritis The anti-inflammatory effects of CBD are highly beneficial for one common dog and large pet ailment: arthritis. One study recently concluded that CBD helps relieve arthritis pain in dogs when a dose is administered consistently twice a day. Pet owners also cited CBD as most effective for pain relief during a survey completed by the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association. CBD can also relieve pain associated with IVDD or intervertebral disc disease. This condition is common in a wide range of dogs, especially those that are short in stature, like dachshunds, Shih tzus, and basset hounds. But the disorder often affects larger breeds like Labradors and German shepherds, too. Seizures While less common than pain and arthritis, conditions like idiopathic epilepsy can cause seizures in some pets. CBD has already been approved by the FDA as a medication for seizures in humans. So, it made sense to research whether it could also be used this way for pets. Research is showing a lot of promise for CBD reducing seizures in dogs. A recent study reported a significant reduction in seizure frequency among varied breeds when the cannabinoid is administered. Anxiety Anxiety is quite common among pets and is often caused by fireworks, thunderstorms, trips to the vet, or even past traumas experienced as a kitten or puppy. CBD is a natural anxiolytic that proves to reduce symptoms of anxiety disorders for humans. While research is still catching up on anxiety for pets, many owners are hopeful with the results they’ve seen first-hand. Beyond these conditions that affect a large population of pets, CBD’s proven benefits are also helping treat smaller scale issues for cats and dogs, including: • Appetite loss • Nausea • Cancer (inhibiting tumor growth and managing symptoms of medication side effects) • Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) • Glaucoma • Skin disorders • Bacterial and fungal infections • Behavioral problems

HOW THC AFFECTS PETS

THC, on the other hand, is not widely used for pets, even though some owners might swear that their pet enjoys getting high just by sitting near their smoke stash. This could be true, but, in comparison to CBD, THC is toxic at certain levels for cats and dogs. The level at which it becomes toxic is unknown, but it’s not safe for either pet to get into your stash. Just like humans, dogs or pets can overdose on THC. If they do, they’ll show a few telltale signs. Rest assured, overdosing and death are highly unlikely, with only a few cases ever actually reported in pets. But the FDA recommends that you contact your veterinarian if your pet shows any of the following signs after exposure to THC: • Lethargy • Depression • Heavy drooling • Vomiting • Agitation • Tremors

PETS AND CANNABIS—A UNIQUE BALANCE OF HEALING

As research catches up from years of criminalized cannabis, so does the information we have on how cannabis affects pets. We know that many pet owners are safely exploring these plant compounds in the hope of providing a unique balance of healing for their furry friends. While you should keep your pets out of your THC-containing stash of cannabis, CBD is widely available for pets’ safe consumption and natural relief.