I see that, due to the quite promising research into resuming the use of cannabinoid drugs in veterinary medicine, the drug companies are taking protective measures.:D

Dogs may indeed die from other things found in cannabis laced treats, like chocolate and raisins. They may also get a bowel obstruction from eating too many fan leaves, a situation which may arise with any fibrous plant. Sadly, they could die from electrolyte imbalances brought on by over aggressive treatments by overly concerned vets, such as purges.


[link to www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com]

Pfizer pioneered the market for dog painkillers when it introduced Rimadyl in 1997. Nearly 15 million dogs have taken it, many for pain from degenerative joint disease, or osteoarthritis.

Rimadyl now has a few competitors with more likely. The market for dog arthritis pain medications tops $130 million a year and is growing about 13% a year, consulting firm Wood Mackenzie says.

But in the first eight years after the introduction of these drugs, Food and Drug records show 3,200 dogs have died or been put down after taking the drugs. Almost 19,000 dogs had bad reactions to them.

The FDA says the drugs are safe, if properly used. Drug makers say fewer than 1% of dogs have bad reactions to them….yet the reactions are likely under-reported as research in humans shows that up to 15% of humans show elevated liver enzymes when on NSAIDs.

[link to www.vetguru.com]

"Prior to its prohibition, the active ingredients found in marijuana were found in veterinary products designed to treat a wide variety of ailments. “Rawleigh’s Colic and Bloat Compound” for example was administered orally to both bovine and equine patients. “Pratts Brand Veterinary colic remedy” is another marijuana-based medication of old. Today, in many countries marijuana products are used as treatments for animals. Cannabis is widely used in Asia where it is fed to elephants and oxen to relieve fatigue. It also reportedly gives the animals’ greater strength and endurance (Robinson, R. 1995). The Marijuana plant is also used in parts of the world to fatten and increase egg production in poultry. Dried, crushed cannabis seeds fed to broiler chicks dramatically increased their growth rates and food conversion rates while decreasing the amount of food they consumed and the associated costs to the producer (Khan et al 2010). It is clear that in many parts of the world the use of marijuana on animals is commonplace."



I personally know a dog who is receiving Rick Simpson oil (whole plant cannabis extract, looks like Marmite) for his vaccine related cancer. The little guy had already had his leg amputated and been through chemo and was in awful shape- when his owner learned there was no hope, he decided to try cannabis, having talked to other people that had used it successfully for their pets. The dog is still very much alive, two years later, is not stoned all the time, and can catch a Frisbee just as well as he could with four legs. The oil is administered mixed with peanut butter. The dog breed taking the oil is Jack Russell Terrier.

Of course, more research needs to be done before this is a first line treatment. As any dog owner knows, some breeds are more sensitive to effects of drugs than others. This guy tried it when there was nothing else left to try to save his dog-and it worked.