With all the flurry of activity around the impending legalization of recreational cannabis use, one group is feeling left out – veterinarians.
CEO of Grey Wolf Animal Health, Dr. Ian Sandler says all the cannabis legislation coming into effect in two days is focusing on people, not animals.
“Because we really have been excluded from this discussion, as legalization occurs, will people start using these products on their own for their pets, all well intentioned, but very inappropriate amounts,” says Dr. Sandler.
He says being left out of the medicinal conversation is a disservice to pets, their owners, and veterinarians.
“So, you know, people will come in with concerns around where can these products fit in, you know, in terms of pain, or anxiety, or many of the ailments that people are turning to cannabis based products for,” says Dr. Sandler. He continues by saying they are looking forward to a future discussions about where these products might, and hopefully will be able to play a role in the therapeutic areas they deal with.
Dr. Sandler says like any other toxic product, you should keep cannabis and related items locked securely away from your pets to prevent accidental consumption.
He adds signs of THC toxicity in pets include sleepiness, depresssion, wobbling, pacing and agitation, as well as inappropriate urination, vomiting, and howling, barking or other vocalization.
In particular, Dr. Sandler says a risk for dogs is not just the THC, but whatever products the cannabis is added to in the case of edibles. For example, he says chocolate is toxic to dogs, so a major danger if a dog consumes cannabis brownies is the combination of THC toxicity, and the chocolate itself. Cats, by comparison, he says are far more fastidious than dogs, and are consequently less likely to consume dried cannabis, or edibles because they tend to be sensitive, or fussy, about what they eat.
In addition, he says second hand smoke is a risk for pets as well as humans, for obvious reasons, adding cats are usually quite sensitive to it, and there can be lung related risks. Dr. Sandler encourages people not to smoke in an enclosed space to avoid harming their pets.
The bottom line, Dr. Sandler says, is to keep cannabis and all related items firmly out of reach of all your pets.
