Can cannabis help my dog? This is a question that is popping up in more browsers today than ever before. It’s a question being asked by more pet owners who are looking for alternatives to prescription drugs for their furry family members.
A 12-year-old dog named Hudson is finding relief from an amputated toe and arthritis. Hudson receives cannabis oil in the form of a few drops on a plate of yogurt in which this Portuguese Water Dog wolfs down. His owner prefers cannabis over prescription drugs. Prescription drugs knock Hudson out.
When it comes to our pets and cannabis, it’s a relatively new topic or subject for many people. A lot of people realize that cannabis has been utilized in feeding livestock and farm animals for some time. Bird seed contains hemp. Hemp is a type of cannabis that contains less than 0.03% THC or delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol. THC is the compound that creates the high/buzz found in cannabis. When it comes to our pets like cats and dogs, cannabis can benefit them the same way it does us.
This doesn’t mean Fido, Rex, Missy, Sissy or Lassie need to get lit blazing bowls and joints. What it does mean is that every living mammal on the planet has an endocannabinoid system and the introduction of cannabinoids from cannabis to the endocannabinoid system is going to be beneficial for them. Cannabis oil tinctures and CBD dog treats are helping to give pet owners their furry friends back where prescription drugs were leaving them in a haze.
Dogs and cats Have An Endocannabinoid System Too
Every mammal’s endocannabinoid system contains CB1 and CB2 receptors layered throughout the nerves and organs in their body. When CB1 and CB2 receptors become saturated with cannabinoids, two-way communication occurs between nerves and cells allowing the body to operate naturally on a more efficient level. This occurs in people and dogs the same.
TreatWell offers pet tinctures produced from Humboldt County California grown cannabis. TreatWell, says their pet tinctures may be able to help your pet with issues ranging from poor appetite, pain, inflammation, glaucoma, cancer, anxiety, seizures, and liver/kidney problems.
Cannabidiol or CBD seems to be the center of attention when it comes to cannabis and dogs. There are options for pets with CBD instead of prescription painkillers. CBD works as an anticonvulsant, an analgesic, an anti-inflammatory, and more. These properties not only apply to people, but to other mammals such as dogs and cats. You can get CBD infused dog biscuits and sublingual CBD hemp oil tinctures for your cat or dog online from several places like Canna-Pet and Treatibles.
CBD helps to promote the overall health of your pet the same way that it would help to promote your overall health. Cannabis is proving to be an effective alternative for pets such as cats and dogs suffering from conditions like arthritis and anxiety to cancer and more. There are several stories of success where people changed their viewpoints and gave cannabis a try as opposed to continuing prescription narcotics for their dogs.
In many of these cases, the dogs did better on cannabis based treatments than on previous prescription drug treatments. Just like prescription drugs cause side effects such as drowsiness dizziness and many other adverse health effects with humans the same thing applies to our four-legged friends.
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Are There Any Dangers With Cannabis and Cats and Dogs
There’s conflicting reports concerning THC and dogs. The ASPCA’s Poison Control hotline is reportedly becoming more frequently called in regards to cannabis exposure and pets. Dogs tend to be more likely to get into batches of cannabis edibles then cats it seems. They’re also more likely to eat entire batches of cannabis infused edibles rather than just a bite. This is where the danger lies with them and cannabis.
When a dog consumes too much cannabis it can be a bit scary for pet owners due to the psychoactive effects of THC in cannabis. A dog will start to appear drunk and often they lose control of their bladder and bowels when cannabis with THC is consumed. Keep in mind this is when they consume entire batches of edibles not medicinal dosages via cannabis oil tinctures or CBD treats. Dr. Tina Wismer, the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center medical director was quoted by ABC news saying the following about cannabis and pets.
“We get quite a few marijuana calls at Poison Control,”
“Cats like the plant material better, whereas dogs like to get into the edibles. Depending on how much they get into will determine how aggressive we need to be.
“Most of the time they’re wobbly like they’re drunk, they dribble urine,”
“But 25% of them become extremely agitated, which certainly is not something I would want to put my elderly pet through. In fact, dogs that get into the really large amounts of THC, often need to be put on fluids and have their heart rate monitored.”
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When treating your pet with cannabis you’re not usually giving them THC. Many times, it’s CBD only. When pets are terminally ill or at the end of life is when THC is typically brought into the equation. In many cases these are instances where pets are already taking prescription drugs to help relieve pain and improve comfort.
Just like people, pets are often negatively affected by these prescription drugs. They are often unresponsive when on medications for anxiety and pain. Sluggish tired and sleepy, these pets, our furry family members, are pretty much laying around waiting for their number to come up while taking the meds prescribed by vets.
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Cannabis is offering pets hope. Pets being treated with cannabis are reported to not only respond well to the treatments but they also don’t display the typical side effects associated with prescription pills. The stories of these pets are starting to gain the attention of media. You can find several of them online with a simple search of pets and cannabis.
- Matthew J. Cote of Auntie Dolores stated that a company offering CBD infused dog biscuits called Treatibles is a place many pet owners are turning to. Each one of Treatibles CBD dog biscuits contain one milligram of CBD, enough for a 20-lb. dog. The average bag of 40 dog biscuits will run you about $22 online.
- Canna Companion out of Washington State produces powdered hemp capsules for pets. Dr. Sarah Brandon, the co-owner of Canna Companion, is a licensed veterinarian. However, she received notice from the United States Food and Drug Administration that the hemp capsules Canna Companion produced were illegal.
- Goldie Berencsi is a licensed holistic pet practitioner out of Oregon and owner of Healing Without the High. Goldie helps pet owners find options for their furry family members through cannabis treatments.
Cannabis Whole Plant Therapy for Dogs, Cats and People
For cats and dogs suffering with terminal issues such as cancer, a full spectrum whole plant cannabis treatment becomes a better option than traditional CBD treatments. Making sure that the medicine your pet takes is a medical-grade product is important. To have legal access to full spectrum cannabis you must live in a place where you have a legal medical card such as Canada or one of 8 recreational cannabis states or 28 medical cannabis states in the United States.
Cannabis whole plant therapy involves using the entire spectrum of cannabinoids found in cannabis not just an isolated one. THC, CBD, CBG, CBN, THCa, and dozens more work together creating the entourage effect. When you hear of cannabis helping to save lives or helping people/animals to live comfortably, these are stories about full spectrum cannabis.
The compounds in cannabis work by themselves, this is true, however they are nowhere near as effective. But, when they are teamed up with other cannabinoids, research is showing them to be more effective. Terpenes are also playing an important role in full spectrum cannabis treatments.
People and animals are much the same when it comes to our mammal bodies. Cannabis whole plant therapy is the only thing that’s helped individuals like Alexis Bortell, Coltyn Turner and Charlotte Figi. Being that dogs and people are built the same when it comes to organs and tissues it would only make sense that cannabis in the correct dosage would benefit them the way it does us too.
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Don’t Say No If You Don’t Know
Keep an open mind about cannabis and pets. In my opinion, pharmaceutical companies don’t want people or pets to quit taking prescription drugs simply because their profits would go down. Perhaps this is why veterinarians who want to recommend cannabis run the risk of losing their license.
This is happening today globally. Something similar happened in history. On May 15, 1850, Dr. Ignaz Semmelweis, suggested that doctors at Vienna General Hospital should wash their hands to help cut down on the hospital’s mortality rate.
Some doctors were offended by this. Doctors were even said to have been threatened with the loss of their license if they were caught supporting or practicing this new hand washing technique. It reminds me of how the FDA is treating people and pets today with cannabis. Keep an open mind about cannabis. Cannabis may not be what every pet needs, but it may very well be, just what your pet needs. Don’t say no, if you don’t know.
How do you know what specific molecules are hitting their receptors?