With medical marijuana becoming more and more popular, so too are questions about it’s safety and possible harm to our four legged loved ones – our pets. Lately we have been hearing stories of dogs getting stoned and pets overdosing on medical marijuana. Some say marijuana is toxic to dogs, while others say it can be used safely to ease their pain and treat many conditions from tumors to inflammation and even pain associated with hip dysplasia.
So, what should we believe about marijuana when it comes to our pets? Well, first of all – all the above statements about marijuana and our pets may be true. As confusing as that seems, there is evidence that marijuana can be used to treat many conditions that our four legged friends are susceptible to, there is also very strong evidence that medical marijuana may be harmful and even fatal to pets if used incorrectly. This can only mean one thing – we need more research. Time to educate ourselves a little bit about the science of cannabis and pets. For offering the venturebeat for pets, the safety should be checked. Many evidences are available with the people for the purchase of the products. There can be research in the market for the purchase of the cbd oils and other products.
Dogs have cannabinoid receptors
Dogs and cats are known to have cannabinoid receptors that work similarly to the ones found in humans. As a matter of fact, further research actually shows that cannabinoid receptors have been around for a very, very long time and are found in almost all living things. In another article I recently researched called “The Effects of THC on Animals”, Matt Ellis says;
“Most living things possess cannabinoid receptors—including invertebrates.” He goes on to explain that; ”This is important for two reasons: First, it means these receptors have survived at least 500 million years of evolution (dating back to the time when vertebrates and invertebrates split), implying that the function of these cannabinoids is pretty damn important; and second, it means that most everything alive can get stoned—even something as simple as a slug. via: HIGHTIMES.COM | PETS ON POT.
Marijuana over-consumption is known to cause a condition in dogs known as “static ataxia”. If you have ever witnessed this condition, you will know it is not one you would want to willingly put your dog in, unless you want to scare the hell out of him and watch as he helplessly lies on the floor – unable to walk.
“The dog static ataxia test is historically significant… The administration of cannabinoid compounds to a dog causes the dog to weave back and forth while remaining in one place; the term “static ataxia” was coined to describe this peculiar collection of behaviors. Compounds that produced static ataxia in the dog had a high likelihood of eliciting cannabis-like psychoactivity in humans… These findings, plus the observation that static ataxia is blocked by the CB1 receptor antagonist SR141716 rimonabant, strongly suggest that both are mediated by CB1 receptors…” via Understanding Cannabinoid Psychoactivity with Mouse Genetic Models.
In some cases it is reported that the over-consumption of marijuana has caused seizures and even death of dogs. It’s not known what the lethal dose of marijuana in dogs is, but it does appear that there is in fact a dose at which death may occur in dogs.
“During a study done in 2002, 250 cases of marijuana ingestion were reported to the ASPCA and two deaths resulted in those cases. While death is not a common occurrence, it shows that marijuana and pets are not something to take lightly.” via: Effects of Marijuana in Dogs | Howard Huge Blog.
When dogs eat marijuana
I personally have witnessed what happens when a dog eats cookies infused with marijuana. After eating approximately 5-6 medium-sized peanut butter cookies (fairly strongly-infused with cannabis) the dog was showing visible signs of being medicated within 40 minutes. The owner of the dog was not home when the cookies were eaten, but we have figured it down to a narrow window of opportunity.
When the dogs owner arrived at home, the dog was found hiding under a desk just feet from where the marijuana cookies had earlier been. The dog must of smelled the cookies – which were on a cooling rack, on top of the dresser – and knocked them down, before eating them and retreating to a spot he felt safe (under the desk).
I was there to witness the effects first hand. When I picked the dog up from under the desk and placed him in the middle of the floor, he immediately sat back down – as if his hind legs were made of jello. I noticed he felt warm, and almost sweaty. He seemed to have a confused look on his face which was not one I ever saw before. He really looked pathetic, as if he was scared and did not have a clue what was going on.
Over the next several hours, the condition this dog was in just seemed to get worse. He just layed there on the floor, wherever we would place him. Every time someone in the room would move, the dog would flinch – as if he were going to get hit. His breathing was heavy at times and shallow at others, he could not stand or walk, and he seemed to have no use of his hind-quarters. During the time the effects lasted, which was over 24 hours, he also drooled uncontrollably and vomited 2-3 times. This dog, family member and “best-friend”, was stoned, scared, and there was no doubt in my mind that he wanted whatever it was that caused this feeling – to go away.
For roughly (no pun intended) 24 hours the dogs condition remained the same. He had to be carried outside to use the bathroom, and just laid around wherever he was put down – once he came inside, sometimes sleeping, most of the time just looking scared.
At the very tail end of the “marijuana cookie” experience, you could tell that he realized the effects were wearing off because he started regaining use of his legs and his whole expression changed. Once he realized that he could use his hind-legs again, he spent at least an hour or two enjoying either; the fact that he was not paralyzed, the rest of his buzz, or both. He began running around and acting goofy, happy and playful for the remainder of the time the effects were visibly active. He did seem somewhat disoriented for a few hours still, but the marijuana was obviously at the tail end of it’s “heavy” effects that were caused by eating too much.
Lessons learned…
After witnessing this experience I have learned a few things. First, marijuana can definitely get dogs high, and in the wrong dose – could even cause serious health problems. Second, great responsibility should be taken with proper storage of marijuana edibles, such as cookies and other tasty treats that dogs may feel inclined to eat a dozen of. And finally, getting your dog high – for the sake of getting your dog high – is a terrible idea. Your dog counts on you to protect him, and leaving a tray of cookies out where he can get it is irresponsible and should never be done (again).
Don’t be careless with medical marijuana
Obviously there are some concerns with your pets and medical marijuana. These concerns multiply when you are careless and you don’t store your medicine properly. However, there are some benefits as well and there may be many uses for medical marijuana products for your pets in the future.
Medical marijuana pain patches for dogs
According to an article I recently read on a popular marijuana blog; “…Medical Marijuana Delivery Systems LLC has patented the patch, called Tetracan, and says it could be used on dogs, cats, and even horses…” [marijuana patch for pets], showing that there is definitely interest in producing marijuana based medicines for our pets, and that there is a safe way to use cannabis for our dogs and cats in need.
I’ve read many articles and personal testimonies lately that have suggested that using medical marijuana in herbal remedies for your dogs is a great way to treat skin conditions and other issues pets have. Some people even claim that marijuana, when applied topically to a dog, can kill tumors and other skin growths. Some people make medical marijuana dog treats, that have a low-dose of marijuana in them, and they swear that these treats have replaced expensive medicines that are usually prescribed by veterinarians for pain and other conditions that dogs typically face in old age.
So what does all this mean?
What this means is first and foremost, marijuana users need to be careful with our medicated treats and keep them away from our four legged friends. We should never give marijuana treats that are intended for human consumption – to our pets. It also means that there are some serious issues with giving marijuana to your pet, if you don’t know what you are doing, or just to see them get “high”.
Another thing that all this means is, there may be many beneficial uses for marijuana that our pets can benefit from – with proper dosages.
If we look at all the information, we can see that there are many drawbacks possible to having marijuana around our pets. However, if we act responsibly and educate ourselves, not only can we avoid causing our dog or cat an unnecessary “bad-trip”, but we may just be able to find new, safe ways of treating our pets, with alternative medicine, in their old age.
For now, keep your medicated goodies locked up – far out of reach of fido and his curious nose – and begin researching recipes for low-dose cannabis dog-treats. You may be surprised at some of the uses this plant has when used responsibly.
