Medical Cannabis: Is It Good For Our Dogs?
Cannabis is a popular medicinal herb that is given to dogs nowadays. The cannabis is given to dogs for treating various ailments like, anxiety, arthritis, stress, pain disorder, etc. although modern veterinary medicine has a lot of dogs antibiotics for treating infections or anti-parasitic drugs to cure heartworm even ointments to help with rashes and lacerations, still the veterinary medicines don’t have a solution for all the problems that your pet may have.
Hence in such a situation when the dog owner cannot get a solution from the vet’s medicine, he often turns to alternative medications. One such alternative treatment for dogs that is gaining more and more popularity with time is the use of cannabis for dogs.
How CBD works
The cannabis plant contains several useful compounds like CBD, phytocannabinoids, terpenoids as well as flavonoids. All mammals including animals have cannabinoid receptors present in the central nervous system, brain, and other organs of the body. These make the endocannabinoid system in the body.
According to a few studies, due to its anti-inflammatory effects, the cannabinoid can help relieve pain, seizures, anxiety, muscle spasms, tumors, aggression, appetite stimulation, skin conditions, and other neurological conditions in dogs.
Does cannabis really work on dogs?
Although only a few types of research have been performed on the subject, there is a bulk of evidence collected from anecdotal accounts. Some have used cannabis for treating anxiety and some dog owners have found it useful in reducing inflammation with bladder cancer. Dog owners have also reported that cannabis has helped to stimulate their dog’s appetite and even address their behavioral concerns.
The important point that you must note regarding the use of cannabis for your pet is, “the dose makes the poison”. Where a low dose of cannabis can be of great help to your furry friend, it can be extremely problematic when given in high doses.
How can cannabis help your dog?
CBD hemp is useful in treating both acute and chronic disorders in dogs. If we talk about chronic health conditions, then among chronic conditions cannabinoids can help with arthritis, anxiety, aggression, immune system, and digestive disorder. Studies are still on their way to prove the use of CBD in treating cancer, type 1 diabetes, and organ diseases.
Veterinarians have also found CBD to help treat acute ailments besides chronic disorders. These conditions include torn ligaments, a broken bone, sprains, and strains, etc. the cannabis is even used to reduce swelling, stiffness, and pain in post-operative care.
If your dog has any of these physical conditions and is taking any conventional drugs for it, CBD hemp can be used along with existing medicines to reduce the doses of the drugs.
How fast does cannabis work?
Any herbal medicine takes more time to show its effect. Hence when giving cannabis to your pets, you may not notice an immediate effect. You will have to be a bit patient to find the positive changes in him. Although with some conditions like pain, your dog might feel pain relief only within a few hours of taking the medicine, with other physical symptoms like inflammation, it may take some days to show improvement.
Key takeaways about medical cannabis for dogs
- An increasing number of pet owners are using cannabis to help treat the most difficult ailments in their dogs
- Anecdotally although some pet owners have felt that cannabis has helped reduce their dog’s physical ailments, yet more research on the field is necessary. Besides, every dog owner must consult their vets before administering any medicines to their pets.
Safety
Talking about the safety of cannabinoids, it is quite safe to use CBD because the extremely low amount of THC present in it won't make your dog high. Among the common side effects of using CBD, it might get your dog a little drowsy. It is on the very rare occasion that you may notice some other side effects like mild vomiting and itchiness. But these sensitive cases are very few. But to be safe, if your dog has any of these symptoms, just stop giving him cannabis and consult your vet.
The bottom line
Even though pet owners are getting inclined to using cannabis for treating their pets in pain, yet the legal status of the plants prevents most vets from recommending it. Fortunately, some countries have considered changing the laws relating to the use of cannabis on animals.
Where on one hand the use of cannabis can be of great use to your dog, but on the other hand, it may prove extremely dangerous if used in the wrong dosage. This condition often complicates the situation for many dog owners. when you know the benefits of using cannabis and also want to use it for improving your pet’s health but still have the question on whether to give it or not and if yes then what may be the right dosage. Therefore, you should be extra careful about using cannabis on your furry friend and always take the advice of your vet.
