Dog treats containing cannabis are becoming increasingly popular in Vancouver, but the BC SPCA says you should talk to your veterinarian before feeding them to your pooch.
One popular brand of treats is Apawthecary, which offers products containing cannabiniol, or CBD, that the company extracts from hemp.
Cannawide Dispensary said the dog treats have become so popular at its West 4th Avenue location it can’t keep them on the shelves.
“This is Kitsilano, so a lot of people have dogs and a lot of those dogs are getting elderly, so they’re suffering from pain and mobility issues,” said Andrew Gordon, community integration director for the pot shop.
Gordon said customers use the treats, or pet-specific CBD oil, to help dogs suffering from arthritis, hip dysplasia and several other issues, and that many pet owners report seeing positive results.
“Customers swear by it,” he said. “It really works as an alternative to pharmaceuticals.”
Tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, is the main psychoactive component in marijuana and is toxic to dogs. But that’s not a concern with Apawthecary’s products, Gordon said, because they’re derived from hemp, which has extremely low THC content.
“You would basically have to eat a full field of hemp to get to a point of inebriation,” he said.
The BC SPCA said there’s nothing in the ingredient list for Apawthecary’s treats that raises a red flag, but that doesn’t mean people should rush out to purchase them for their pets.
“We always recommend people speak with their veterinarian about any therapeutic treat they want to give their animals,” said veterinarian Emilia Gordon, senior manager of animal health for the SPCA.
“There are no studies in dogs using these types of cannabis products, so there are no safety studies and there are no therapeutic studies, and in general veterinarians tend to recommend things that are evidence-based.”
Apawthecary also advertises its products for conditions such as seizures, though the SPCA said there are already established treatments for those that have been proven to work.
Whatever dog owners do, one thing is clear: they should keep their pets away from THC.
Unfortunately, the SPCA’s veterinarian said cases of THC toxicity caused by dogs eating their owners’ pot products are becoming increasingly common in Metro Vancouver.
“In some cases, they were given to the dogs intentionally,” she said.
Gordon said dogs that eat straight marijuana or pot products that contain THC typically exhibit symptoms such as lethargy, depression, slow heartrate and leaking urine.
But as animals are exposed to different products, such as cannabis butter, more severe symptoms are being seen, including “seizures or other neurological problems.”
“It does seem to be a problem that is intensifying in veterinary medicine,” she said.
