Pet owners turning to CBD for their animals

EDMONTON – Many pet owners are willing to go above and beyond to help their pets when they get sick or injured.

And since cannabis became legal in Canada, more and more pet owners are turning to CBD oil as a therapy option.

While much of evidence for the rising prevalence and benefit of CBD use in pets is anecdotal, a 2019 study in the Canadian Veterinary Journal found 80 per cent of pet owners surveyed reported: “they had purchased cannabis products for their dogs most commonly for pain and anxiety.”

Dr. Ian Sandler, of the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association, said “unequivocally, yes,” there are more pet owners asking about CBD oil when seeking treatment for pets.

It’s important to note, however, the supposed benefits of CBD oils — anti-inflammatory, anti-anxiety, and more — have neither scientifically nor conclusively been proven, according to the American Kennel Club (AKC).

Despite the rise in popularity of CBD products, “there is no legal pathway for veterinarians to prescribe, dispense or recommend cannabis products to their patients at this time,” according to the Canadian Association of Veterinary Cannabinoid Medicine.

Furthermore, under the latest iteration of The Cannabis Act, “no veterinary drugs containing cannabis are approved for sale in Canada,” Geoffroy Legault-Thivierge of Health Canada told the Toronto Sun.

Legault-Thivierge said Health Canada is “aware” Canadian pet owners are interested in the potential benefits cannabis products may provide to pets. A consultation looking at the potential of creating a new pathway that would permit the sale of cannabis products “without the oversight of a practitioner,” ended on Sept. 3.

However, if anecdotal evidence and few surveys are a barometer, most people don’t seem to be waiting for the government to offer pet-specific CBD oils and cannabis products.

Sandler said pet owners should be aware of the risks if they are giving black label, illegal cannabis products to their beloved pets.