Pot for Pets: Does it work the same way it does for humans?
Medical marijuana has shown success in treating a number of conditions in humans, from pain to nausea to seizure disorders, just to name a few. So many may be wondering: can I get the same results for my pets?
Terra Kraettli and Linda Hoover founded “Rescued Hearts Boutique” and both give their pets CBD oil.
“I have some pets that are older, with arthritis and things like that, also one that has some thunder phobia, fearful of storms, and what I discovered is that using CBD oil is that it would lower the anxiety level and that they were limping less,” said Hoover.
The two sell a variety of products, all made with CBD, that are aimed at helping pets. CBD is the non-psychoactive product that comes from the hemp side of the cannabis plant.
“That’s the biggest question people ask is is it gonna make my dog or cat high and the answer is no,” Hoover said.
Joe Fisher also sells CBD dog biscuits and oil in his shop, Emerald City Wellness. He says he gets a lot of positive feedback from customers.
“We have a hard time keeping these things on the shelf honestly,” Fisher said. “They’re just telling us we give ’em one at night and they wake up in the morning like a totally new dog.”
Some Veterinarians sell CBD products and recommend them to their customers, while others are waiting for more research. Doctor Victoria Wynn recently attended an educational conference for Veterinarians updating the studies being done on CBD for pets.
Doctor Wynn said, “We do have some research going on right now at Colorado State University in the neurology department so hopefully in the next few years we’ll have some more evidence how that’s gonna help and also, of course, the toxicity of those substances that we can keep our kiddos safe.”
So, for now, it’s up to owners to decide whether CBD is right for their pets or not.
“This seems to have beneficial effects without negative side effects,” said Linda Hoover, “It’s certainly something that may help with anxiety, thunder problems, car sickness, you know, things like that.”
“We would be delighted to have something else in our arsenal to help with things like seizures, perhaps pain control, other things that we’re hopeful that perhaps this particular chemical will help with,” said Doctor Wynn.
