Pets and Medical Marijuana
Just as we continue to learn about the human interaction with with cannbinoids so too we are still learning about pets and medical marijuana.
“Many owners use it for quality of life, or when the traditional treatments aren’t working,” Sarah Gradilla, an associate veterinarian at Wheat Ridge Animal Hospital, said during the lecture.
All vertebrates have an endocannabinoid system, which produces cannabinoids inside the body while also having receptors for them from external consumption. The system helps maintain both cell and body homeostasis and can affect carcinogens, pain, memory and inflammation, among other things. Dogs’ endocannabinoid receptors are similar to those of humans, according to Gradilla, though their receptors tend to be concentrated in certain parts of the brain, which increases their sensitivity to the toxicity of certain cannabinoids, including THC.
Most research on the subject in the United States has been limited to pre-clinical trials with lab animals for human research, Gradilla said, due to marijuana’s federal classification as a Schedule I drug. That hasn’t stopped some pet owners from trying it on their own, though. A survey published in 2016 found that about half or more of the respondents saw medical marijuana improve their pets’ conditions.
Source: Pets and Medical Marijuana: How to Start Giving to Them | Westword
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