The ABC reports
Paddy is a 15-year-old golden retriever, much loved but slow on his legs.
Key points:
- US studies have found dogs had fewer seizures when treated with cannabinoids – compounds found in cannabis
- There were fewer side effects for the dogs, it was found
- Veterinary cannabis use is yet to be approved in Australia
He is on medication for arthritis and has to have blood tests every six months to check for kidney damage — a common side effect.
“It can also cause vomiting, but he’s OK, as long as he gets fed a lot,” his owner Della Stevens said.
“We give him one tablet at night and he deals with it alright. Without it, he’d really struggle to get up and down.”
It is still an oddity in Australia but in many US states, medicinal cannabis medications including tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) — the psychoactive component in cannabis — are being used as a treatment for pets with conditions such as arthritis and epilepsy.
It is a big and growing business.
Read the full article at https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-06-01/cannabis-treatment-for-sick-dogs-studies-show-promise/100177722
