Cannabis for Pets
Cannabis, whether it be in the form of hemp or medical marijuana, has proven itself to be a very useful supplement to use for many pets. Hemp, the safer form of “marijuana” has been made legal by the Federal government and is now allowed to be used legally in 46 states. With the 2020 elections, 5 more states have joined the ranks of the 13 states that allow “adult use”, also termed “Recreational” use of marijuana. That’s now about 40% of the states that are allowing the legal use of marijuana by citizens over 21 years of age.
Hemp is high in CBD, and pet parents have found it to be very helpful for their four-legged friends’ issues with arthritis, epilepsy, cancer, and anxiety to name just a few of the many reasons people use CBD.
The THC found in medical marijuana although very effective for pain at lower doses can have severe and adverse effects on dogs when given to dogs that are not used to it at fairly doses that aren’t that high when compared to human doses. For that reason, many dogs who are given too much THC accidentally, which might be the small amount found in a human truffle or edible, have been rushed to the Animal ER for treatment of that accidental overdose. It takes some knowledge and experience to know how to give THC to your dog to be safe.
It’s really best to get advice about giving Cannabis to your pet from a veterinarian who is knowledgeable about its use. Unfortunately, most veterinarians are still in the early phases of learning about THC use in their patients, and may not be able to help you that well.
That’s where the information, blogs, videos, questions and answers you will find here on the Nurse Your Pet blogsite will help bridge the gap of information that your regular vet is just now starting to figure out. We are happy to share our information with your veterinarian, by the way, if you wanted to refer them to us.
We are all veterinarians here, Dr. Joyce Harman, Dr. Gabby Varcoe, and myself, and we have all had years of experience working mostly with CBD. Myself, Dr. Silver, practicing in Colorado, where we have had medical marijuana since 2000, has gained the experience, knowledge, and skills to know how to safely recommend the use of THC in dogs. In fact, that’s what my book, Medical Marijuana and Your Pet is all about: The safe and effective use of cannabis, whether it be hemp or marijuana.
So read on, and if you have questions, please pose them to us on our blogs or contact forms.
