BUSINESS OF PRACTICE: NAVIGATING IMPORTANT CORPORATE AND LEGAL MATTERS
ated. This makes it difficult to differentiate fact from fiction and, unless veterinarians are up to date on the current American Veterinary Medical Asso- ciation (AVMA) and federal standards, they may be tricked into stocking these products at their practices. In a study that was performed by the Department
of Clinical Sciences and College of Veterinary Med- icine and Biomedical Sciences at Colorado State University, published in the Journal of the Ameri- can Holistic Veterinary Medical Association and Sci- entific Report,6 veterinarians were assigned three objectives: find out which cannabis products pet owners purchased, their reasons for the purchase, and whether they perceived a difference in their pet while using the product. The results of this study included 632 pet owners (88.1% dog owners, 11.9% cat owners) who have purchased hemp products from an online site. Most of the dog and cat owners (77.6% and 81.8%, respectively) indicated that they use the hemp product for an illness or condition diagnosed by a veterinarian. The most common conditions eliciting treatment
in dogs included seizures, cancer, anxiety, and ar- thritis. The illnesses or conditions treated in cats were comparable, with cancer, anxiety, and arthritis as the most common. The most common side ef- fects reported by both dog and cat owners were se- dation and overactive appetite. When dog owners were asked about the perceived positive impacts of the hemp, they reported the highest impact in relief from pain (64.3%), followed by helping with sleep (50.5%), and relief from anxiety (49.3%). Cat own- ers perceived the highest impacts as relief from pain (66%), followed by reduced inflammation (56.3%) and help with sleep (44%). This information sup- ports the growing anecdotal stories of the effects of cannabis in pets. In addition, this information pro- vides a platform for researchers seeking to perform clinical studies on not only the effectiveness of hemp but also the adverse outcomes associated with the use of hemp. Interestingly, this study also surveyed pet owners
about their disclosures to their veterinarian about the hemp products used. Just under half of the participants had spoken with their veterinarian about the product, with most indicating that their veterinarian responded positively (61.7%), some ex- pressing no opinion (30.7%) and very few responding negatively (7.7%). While most veterinarians would agree that anything having a positive impact on a pet is, in fact, positive, in this case, it is still illegal. In a recent article by the AVMA titled, “Cannabis: What Veterinarians Need to Know,”7 the AVMA cautions pet owners against the use of chews, oils, and nutritional supplements containing CBD, citing the FDA as its regulatory beacon. Currently, the FDA does not approve the use of marijuana or hemp in any form in animals because of the lack of evidence about the safety and effective- ness of the products. The DEA stated in 2017 that
274 2020 Vol. 66 AAEP PROCEEDINGS
“cannabinoids are not found in hemp, except in trace amounts. Therefore, extracts that contain more than trace amounts of cannabinoids must be part of the cannabis plants that are defined as marijuana and regulated as a schedule 1 controlled substance.” In all this legislation, it might appear that hemp is unfairly getting a bad name; however, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) poison control center has recently reported an influx of calls and claims that ingestion of hemp- based CBD products causes the same clinical signs as ingestion of marijuana (products containing THC). It is not known whether toxicity is due to quality control issues in unregulated products, dif- fering metabolism rates of CBD, or varying amounts of CBD in products despite label claims. The most common clinical signs include ataxia, depression, mydriatic pupils, hyperesthesia, and urinary in- continence. While rare, other signs include vom- iting, tremors, and seizures with multiple deaths reported due to aspiration.8 For this reason, the FDA and AVMA caution pet owners against using these products and the FDA has issued numerous warnings to companies that sell products contain- ing cannabidiol.
9. Conclusion
Overall, studies indicate great potential for canna- bis as a treatment modality. If research was less restricted, more safety and dosing studies could be conducted. This would likely help explain, and ul- timately prevent, poison-related deaths and begin to address concerns. What is important to remember is that pet owners
aren’t the people who face significant consequences for trying these products. Although it is illegal to sell products containing cannabinoids, and illegal to purchase products containing them, the only parties as of now who have been threatened to be held legally responsible are veterinarians and the canna- binoid-producing companies. Here is just one example of how a state medical
board perceives veterinary use of cannabis-based treatments: The California Veterinary Medical Board states that, while marijuana is legal for adults 21 years and over, cannabis is illegal for use in animals.a In conclusion, the use of cannabis products for ani-
mals warrants the attention of veterinarians and re- searchers and could one day be a wonderful treatment modality, but it cannot currently be recommended or stocked by veterinarians. It is suggested that both the promises and perils of medical marijuana for ani- mals point to the need for science-based education, regulation, and research. So, while the aim is to do what is best for the patient, it is most appropriate to advocate for change while remaining within the con- fines of the law. It is possible that one day cannabis will be a legal and accepted treatment in the veteri- nary community, but many steps must be achieved before then.9
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