Pot for pets? Some dog lovers say cannabis eases pain

"I like to encourage an open dialogue about it, but I can't in good conscience recommend it yet," she said. "If it's a useful drug, I want that. And if it's not useful, I want to know that." Residents of 23 states and the District of Columbia are allowed to use marijuana for medical reasons, generally to address the side effects of chemotherapy, chronic pain, glaucoma and seizures. While animals aren't exactly the same as humans, marijuana may be able to provide some relief, Parshley said. As with people, Parshley said not enough research is available to prove marijuana can help pets. The hemp treats aren't regulated like pharmaceuticals, which means they have not undergone clinical trials and been checked for potential interactions. However, they're widely available across the country, sitting on the same shelves as more traditional pet supplements. Poirier said the cannabis products she gave Kendra contained hemp, which has low levels of THC but high levels of another compound, CBD. If derived from hemp plants, hemp oil is legal across the USA. Dr. Tim Hackett, a professor of veterinary emergency medicine at Colorado State University's Veterinary Teaching Hospital in Fort Collins, Colo., said he welcomes more research on the topic. Modern veterinary medicine doesn't have all the answers, and scientists should be open to new data.Just like millions of Americans use marijuana to ease their chronic pain and cancer-treatment side effects, some animal owners are giving pot to their pets. Advocates say cannabis doggie treats can be a Most of the treats are made with hemp, which contains low levels of THC, the compound in marijuana that gives a "high." The treats are sold under names like Hemp For Hounds and Treatibles. "I wish I had found it sooner," said Deanna Poirier, a veterinary technician from Massachusetts who gave cannabis extract to her dying German shepherd, Kendra. "There comes a point where our traditional medicines, … they don't work to the very end on every pet, all of the time." While the idea might conjure images of pet owners blowing pot smoke into their dogs' faces, Dr. Lisa Parshley of the Olympia Veterinary Cancer Center in Olympia, Wash., said people usually give the marijuana inside a biscuit or treat. Parshley, a veterinary oncologist with a doctorate in biochemistry, said she's not quite ready to prescribe marijuana to dying animals but understands why some owners would try it.safe and effective complement to traditional veterinary medicine, especially when animals are nauseous, unwilling to eat and struggling with constant pain.