Pot-based pet products closer to fruition
Trial researching if cannabis can be used to treat pet anxiety
TORONTO — Canadian pets are a few steps closer to getting their paws on pot-based medical treatments as more cannabis companies research marijuana’s efficacy for companion animals.
Canopy Growth Corp. is the latest medical marijuana company to enter the potentially lucrative pet market with its announcement this week that it will embark on a Health Canadaapproved clinical trial to research the use of cannabis-based products to treat animal anxiety.
The Canadian Veterinary Medical Association’s Dr. Shane Renwick says there’s been a flurry of cannabis-related pet health research as Canada’s laws on recreational cannabis crystallize ahead of legalization on Oct. 17.
The association’s national issues and animal welfare manager expects there to be more clinical trials in the pipeline going forward.
“We hope that there will be the research required to allow safe registered products on the market in the not-too-distant future ... It will offer alternatives in a lot of cases to medications we’re currently using for a variety of conditions,” Renwick added. “So it’s an exciting potential that we see.”
Dr. Renwick said the association’s members have fielded many queries from clients asking about treating their pets ailments, such as pain, with cannabis. However, there is no legal avenue for veterinarians to prescribe pot, unlike for medical physicians, and not enough clinical evidence to support it.
The association is hopeful that Health Canada will eventually approve some cannabis-based veterinary health products that its members can prescribe for their pet clients, and each clinical trial approval brings them “one step closer” in the process, he said.
Many cannabis companies have been positioning themselves to cash in on the drug’s potential for pets as the country prepares up for legalization of cannabis for adult use this fall.
Canopy on Wednesday announced it got the green light from the Veterinary Drugs Directorate of Health Canada for its research into the use of cannabidiol, also known as CBD, enriched oil to treat anxiety in certain animals. The research will be conducted by Canopy Animal Health, a division of Canopy’s affiliated research arm.
“The use of natural-occurring cannabinoids as a therapy for companion animals is a logical new forefront of medical discovery ... These trial approvals mark a significant milestone on the journey of making cannabisbased drugs accepted and recommended by veterinarians,” said Marc Wayne, managing director, Canopy Health Innovations, in a statement.