Giving dogs Cannabis for medical reasons

[tdavie]

One of my dogs suffers from horrible skin allergies (wheat, corn, yeast) to the point that when they act up, he tears his fur off leaving his skin bloody. I *know* from personal experience that MJ can offer pain relief and reduce swelling, so....

3.5 yr old male Golden Retriever (neutered) ate one (1) 200 mg ABV firecracker (eh, a doggy version that was cream cheese smeared over e piece of corned beef and 1/5th g highly vaped good bud). Dog is a very healthy and muscular 105 lbs. Within 1 hour he had completely stopped itching/chewing, lay down and fell asleep by about 90 minutes. Still easily woken up and alert, but obviously 'under the influence'. Did not scratch for about 20 hours.

Another dog (Greyhound) vapes on weekends. This dog is male, 2.5 yrs old, neutered, weighs 53 lbs and is rippling solid muscle with a hyper personality. He ripped a nail off one paw when chasing a laser light, and it was causing him obvious discomfort, after being cleaned/disinfected. He got the same doggy firecracker as above. He stopped limping after 2 hours, but was visibly bobbing and weaving, and for the next 3 hours he was flinching, twitching. Not at all sleepy. Still possessed of a massive hunger. After 36 hours he had diarhhea.

Obviously Cannabis is therapeutically useful for at least one other species than man

Tom



Both dogs were baseline normal (behavior wise) after ~10 hours.

 

[Irie]

A friend is a vet tech.

Cannabis is toxic for dogs and cats and should probably not be used as an edible, not sure aboiut vaping, however that would be administered....very difficult to dose and if you have ever eaten too much pot you can not possibly imagine subjecting an animal you love to that kind of paranoia\"out of it" high\nausea\.

Loss of bladder control is also very common and can't possibly be fun for them to be that high.

 

[Vicki]

I wouldn't give our pets a cannabis edible. However, I have given vapor hits to a couple of our pets.

 

[Gunky]

A good many years ago I used to grow a bit and I would use the bottom leaves for a scrambled egg dish I called Green Eggs and Ham (fry the powdered leaves a bit and then add beaten eggs, spices, whatever). One day as I was holding a dish of this, I bumped my hand on something and half the dish I was intending to eat fell on the floor where my medium sized mongrel gobbled it up. He clearly got off on it and appeared to be enjoying it. Eventually his balance suffered and he was doing the bobbing and weaving Tom mentioned. One interesting stoned thing he did: lifting his leg on the soil in a good-sized flower pot inside the house. Interesting sort of synthetic thought for a dog...

 

[VWFringe]

here's something I thought was interesting, if long, it says they could not get a dog to overdose even when they tried (Parke-Davis 1908) even injecting insane amounts into the dog's jugular vein, so there, hahaha:

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

http://www.420magazine.com/forums/cannabis-facts-information/74324-cannabis-dogs-do-not-mix.html

Through the courtesy of Messrs. Parke. Davis and Co., manufacturing chemists of London and Detroit. Michigan, U.S.A., we are enabled to reproduce a clear pharmacological study of the drug by E. M. Houghton, Ph.C., M.D.; and H. C. Hamilton. M.S (Excerpt from an article in the "American Journal of Pharmacy" for January 1908.) From several samples of Cannabis Americana fluid, extracts and solid extracts were prepared according to the U.S.P., and were tested upon animals for physiological activity.

The method of assay, which has previously been called to the attention of this Society, is that which one of us (Houghton) devised and has employed for the past twelve years. This method consists essentially in the careful observation of the physiological effects produced upon dogs from the internal administration of the preparation of the drug under test.

In applying the test, the standard dose (0.01 gram per kilo weight) (in form of solid extract for convenience) is administered internally in a small capsule. The dog's tongue is drawn forward between the teeth with the left hand and the capsule placed on the back part of the tongue with the right hand. The tongue is then quickly released and the capsule is swallowed with ease. In order that the drug may be rapidly absorbed, food should be withheld for twenty-four hours before the test and an efficient cathartic given if needed.

Within a comparatively short time the dog begins to show the characteristic action of the drug. There are three typical effects to be noticed from active extracts on susceptible animals: first a stage excitability, then a stage of inco-ordination, followed by a period of drowsiness.. The first of these is so dependent on the characteristics of the dog used that it's of little value for judging the activity of the drug, while with only a few exceptions the second, or the stage of inco-ordination, invariably follows in one or two hours; the dog loses control of its legs and of the muscles supporting its head, so that when nothing occurs to attract its attention its head will droop, its body sway, and, when severely affected, the animal will stagger and fall, the intoxication being peculiarly suggestive and striking.

When an active extract is given to a susceptible animal, in the smallest dose that will produce any perceptible effect, one must watch closely for the slightest trace of incoordination, lack of attention. or drowsiness. It is particularly necessary for the animals to be confined in a room there nothing will excite them, since when their attention is drawn to anything of interest the typical effect of the drug may disappear.

Previous to the adoption of the physiological test over twelve years ago, we were often annoyed by complaints of physicians that certain lots of drugs were inert; in fact some hospitals, before accepting their supplies of hemp preparations, asked for samples in order to make rough tests upon their patients before ordering. Since the adoption of the test we have not had a well-authenticated report of inactivity, although many tons of the various preparations of Cannabis Indica have been tested and supplied for medicinal purposes.

At the beginning of our observations careful search of the literature on the subject was made to determine the toxicity of the hemp. Not a single case of fatal poisoning have we been able to find reported, although often alarming symptoms may occur.

A dog weighting 25 pounds received an injection of two ounces of an active U.S.P. fluid extract in the jugular vein with the expectation that it would certainly be sufficient to produce death. To our surprise the animal, after being unconscious for about a day and a half, recovered completely. This dog received. not alone the active constituents of the drug, but also the amount of alcohol contained in the fluid extract. Another dog received about 7 grams of Solid Extract Cannabis with the same result. We have never been able to give an animal a sufficient quantity of a U.S.P. or other preparation of the Cannabis (Indica Arnericana) to produce death.

I wonder why so many sites on the Internet say that they'll die? it's not just government, i think it comes down to what people believe. kind of crazy, really - or just can't think of anything i'm that against.

I think all mammals have cannibinoid receptors. It's not chocolate.

 

[Gunky]

I don't think I would give edibles to my current dog who is healthy though I would consider low doses for cases like Tom described. I have noticed my dog gets a sort of contact high when I'm vaping. It's a pretty small room. He may be getting enough second-hand vapor to get off.

 

[VWFringe]

what would be wrong with an edible? oh, the chocolate, and it's cake, you could certainly mix ABV with their wet food

the pot poses zero threat i believe, prove me wrong, please

doesn't it make sense since we've been using pot for several thousands of years, and have been sleeping with dogs for thousands of years, that, you know

and, my cat doesn't get high from second hand vapor - i don't think anyone can unless they get a prolonged shot-gun style hit - watched hashbean try in a tent with a volcano and it takes him a while

 

[Johnny]

Heh i give my bird pot, ill smoke a bong and blow some onto him. Its a sulphurcrrested cockatoo and it bloody loves weed. Itll move into the cloud of smoke, itll try to eat my buds when theyre on the table, andhe stsrts singing all the songs that he knows, really funny as he gets all talkative, dances heaps when music comes on and hes ripped, its really quite fun to see.

I thinkhe obviously enjoys being ripped, as he gets rather pissed off if i dont blow any smoke his way when im toking as i try not to get him baked too often.


He also says the word hydro alot too.

Oh well i think its better thsn giving the bird alcohol as some people do.

 

[VWFringe]

six days ago
4# maltese dog - fixated licking on leg, no parasite or lesion, not favoring one leg, and no pain on manipulation. (maybe experiencing discomfort, but not sure.)
1/2 Tablespoon Chicken Jerky, cut into fine bits with kitchen shears
mixed onto it
1/4 teaspoon canna oil, leached from ABV
stopped licking after 10 minutes,
45 min somewhat sedated
seemed to peak 1.5-to-2 hours in,
awoke him several times to gauge level of tipsy-ness, and he was able to walk and run, and remained responsive during the potty breaks, but quickly went back to sleep, and seemed to have rapid eye movement a lot, but no twitching of the body.

7 hr. trip, maybe a little longer, had the squirts after about 1.5 hours, but no problems after that.

i wonder if this form of symptomatic relief is akin to giving a shot of thorazine to a psychotic, i'll try a lower dose IF i think he's in pain or fixated again enough to merit a repeat, i don't think he's the stoner type, but did not experience any negative effects (other than the canola oil running thru him).

while he did lick after seven or eight hours he was able to stop upon command, did not disturb his dressing (which I quickly removed once it was apparent the fixation or discomfort was reduced), and it did not become a problem for three more days. Haven't repeated this yet, we'll see a vet mobile clinic this Wednesday, but I suspect there's nothing there.

EDIT: I tried making brownies out of this oil and it had very little THC, was mostly CBD, not bad for pain meds but in looking back i wonder how much it was effected and how much i was just projecting my own expectations

 

[Gunky]

What were the proportions of ABV and oil? Did you heat, simmer?

Judging by the description, I would suggest a much lower dose. You can use a small drop or dilute with ordinary oil, for example add the same amt canna oil, 1/4 tsp, to 1 tsp oil, mix and then use 1/4 tsp for treatment.

 

[AGBeer]

I have given my dog ABV on more than once occasion as he is a nervous wreck to begin with (hes a Maltese) and hes even worse when it comes to haircut time. The first time, I gave him WAAAAAYYY too much. I think he ended up eating ~1.5-2g rolled up in some cheese. Being that he is TINY and that amount would put me out there for a while, he was STOOOOOOONED. (For 3 straight days) We were a bit nervous because he was way beyond stoned and barely able to function for those 3 days.

Needless to say, he is fine now and I have not made the mistake of giving him too much again. But I think overdosing (to the point of death) is pretty hard to achieve even on a small animal. Im not condoning using this as an alternative therapy for your pooch. Wait, who am I kidding?

 

[VWFringe]

AG that's hell'a funny, thanks

What were the proportions of ABV and oil? Did you heat, simmer?

Judging by the description, I would suggest a much lower dose. You can use a small drop or dilute with ordinary oil, for example add the same amt canna oil, 1/4 tsp, to 1 tsp oil, mix and then use 1/4 tsp for treatment.

sorry, don't know the weight,
but enough ABV to fill one of these mango altoid tins

powdered thru fine sifter

leached in 1/3 Cup canola oil (above fridge where it's warm), 5-6 days
his dose came from this 1/3 cup, but i replaced with another 1/3 cup oil and stewed above fridge for another 5 days, pressed and discarded powder, mixed oils together

 

[scottio19]

just thought id bump an interesting thread

Me and my brother once gave our cat a fat joint hit and he freaked out, he crouched low and scurried by our fence looking up at the sky, then jumped onto our neighbors fence and roof and stared at us like he didnt know who we were. then he just kept on staring off into the distance until he stretched and walked away..

recently I hit my volcano bag and blew it into his face and he didnt seem to mind, just sat in his bed with his eyes half closed chillin and watching me hit the 5 foot bag

every time I have ever seen a friends animal around smoke, they never seem to like it. probably because it is so thick and has such a strong smell

 

[Nycdeisel]

not to mention its smoke, its got tar and all kinds of shit in it that would probably irritate any animal.

I like this thread, though Im not sure how I feel about experimenting on own pets, I have thought about this for dogs who are ill. I have heard tons of cases where peoples pet dogs get a hold of bud or edibles, and with enough of it, they claim that it killed them. of course, in edibles, it could be some other ingredient that would be toxic to the animal.

Interesting nonetheless, I think my doggy will stay sober

 

[AGBeer]

I have heard tons of cases where peoples pet dogs get a hold of bud or edibles, and with enough of it, they claim that it killed them.

Im still waiting to find the first person to tell me that cannabis 'killed' their animal. I guess Im on the other end of the spectrum hearing countless stories of 'the dog ate my stash'. Of course the vet said the exact same thing to them all - dont worry about it, let him sleep it off.

This in conjunction with my own experiences with my animals, I would not hesitate to give my animals cannabis if the case warranted.

 

[scottio19]

maybe their dog ate a brownie and they were unaware that chocolate can be fatal to dogs

im sure that has happened a few times

 

[thighrod]

My dog is 15. A small dose of abv oil keeps her happy and playful as a puppy and loosens up her tired muscles. It's a miracle and a gift for an old or distressed dog, just know your dose. Overtoking a dog is almost cruel.

 

[akwardsauce]

Heh i give my bird pot, ill smoke a bong and blow some onto him. Its a sulphurcrrested cockatoo and it bloody loves weed. Itll move into the cloud of smoke, itll try to eat my buds when theyre on the table, andhe stsrts singing all the songs that he knows, really funny as he gets all talkative, dances heaps when music comes on and hes ripped, its really quite fun to see.

I thinkhe obviously enjoys being ripped, as he gets rather pissed off if i dont blow any smoke his way when im toking as i try not to get him baked too often.


He also says the word hydro alot too.

Oh well i think its better thsn giving the bird alcohol as some people do.

i would actually pay to see a youtube video of this in a theater...

EDIT: if you already happened to have a video of this, that is...

 

[stroh]

my golden retriever has quite bad arthritis and sometimes i will blow a few vapor clouds at him. he seems to enjoy it, he even comes over to me when i am vaping and i will blow some clouds at him and he'll go lay down and sleep somewhere, which is what he does 80% of the time anyways haha

 

[Khantagious]

would actually pay to see a youtube video of this in a theater...

That's actually a pretty interesting idea. Considering that people who own and operate movie theaters are having a tough time these days, with the costs of the reels from the studios increasing and fewer people shelling out to buy tickets.

But when you think about what some of the most popular programming is, it is on youtube. Google could put together a 90 minute set of the best stuff on youtube and then people could pay $8-11 (depending on where you live) to see it on a big screen. People would pay to go just for the novelty, and the theater owners would get a little boost

 

[SD_haze]

hate to burst everyone's bubble but cannabis affects other animals differently than humans.
by different, i mean its far, far more toxic to pets like dogs when compared to humans.
how toxic? they can die...

http://blogs.westword.com/latestword/2010/04/no_sharing_stoners_vet_says_po.php

and to the guy who was blowing bong rips at his cockatoo,
not even thc but any smoke is extremely unhealthy to a bird's respiratory system, they can die really really fast in an unventilated room with smoke

a little side personal experience,
before i did research on marijuana toxicity in dogs i blew some smoke in my friend's dog's ear. a small dog.
so glad it survived...
it started foaming at the mouth, extreme tremors, kept making a really odd wimper, and couldnt control its bladder.

it may look like its having a good time but its a bad idea, save the green for humans

 

[wthanna]

^ Bad article full of misinformation. Medical marijuana is already being used to treat dogs.. but not in a full batch of brownies. Chocolate is very toxic to dogs, and the amount of marijuana in a full tray of brownies will make anyone feel uncomfortable.

 

[SD_haze]

tried finding an article that didnt have a negative spin on marijuana in general but doesnt change the facts

cannabis is actually really similar to chocolate in its toxicity to dogs, where a small amount of either for a medium/large sized (even smaller ones) won't make it sick, but that does not change the fact that it is still toxic to them in a way that is not as toxic to humans.

chocolate is still more toxic when it comes to lethality, "they can die" might have been too much as the LD50 is still fairly high (albeit much much lower than humans) but once again, symptoms like coma, seizures, tremors, urinary incontinence, etc do not occur with a medium/high dose of cannabis in humans (not a tray of brownies but just normal strong bud nowadays) but they definitely do with dogs.

if u read my experience above, all that was from just one cloud of smoke

 

[wthanna]

^ sources please..

quoted from petwellbeing.com ( I'm looking for the actual paper it references, but have to be on the road soon.... will edit later)
"Toxicity research in canines reports that oral doses of delta 9-THC and delta 8-THC ranging from 3000 to 9000 mg/kg are not lethal."

That is quite alot.

 

[SD_haze]

In the same paper it reported that out of 250 reported cases there were two deaths, and despite other complications, people in this thread are talking about using cannabis medically which means there would be complications and possible negative interactions.

the possibility of lethality is vastly secondary to the fact that it simply affects other animals differently both psychologically & at a molecular level.