The life of a dog can be an enviable thing, filled with sleeping, eating, and sniffing the butts of peers with impunity. But sometimes things go wrong, with the unluckiest dogs experiencing ailments like anxiety, chronic pain, persistent seizures, and osteoporosis. One potential remedy for these canine ills: CBD oil, which progressive pet owners have successfully used to treat their dogs’ serious medical conditions.
Unfortunately, officially sanctioned medical marijuana for dogs is a way off, as recent discussions between the College of Veterinarians of Ontario and the Office of Medical Cannabis at Health Canada confirmed that Canada’s Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations do not apply to veterinarians or their animal patients.
“Both cannabis (marijuana) and cannabidiol are Schedule II drugs under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act,” notes the College of Veterinarians of Ontario. “As veterinarians are included in the definition of practitioner in this Act, veterinarians would be permitted to prescribe either substance if there was a legal pathway to do so. The Office of Controlled Substances at Health Canada has confirmed that there are currently no approved CBD products for animals, meaning there is no legal pathway to obtain these products for animals in Canada.”
A ray of hope: Colorado State University is currently conducting clinical trials for CBD as a possible treatment for epilepsy and osteoporosis in dogs. If successful, these trials could lead to FDA-approved cannabidiol treatments in the U.S., which might inspire Health Canada to follow suit.
In the meantime, please enjoy this photograph of a dog dressed as a pickle.
