Making the Most of Cannabis in Veterinary Rehabilitation

Over the past few years, cannabinoids have become more commonly used in veterinary medicine, often in combination with veterinary rehabilitation, veterinary physiotherapy or canine hydrotherapy. The increase in it’s use has been in response to an increase in our understanding of cannabinoids and the endocannabinoid system as it has been studied. In a recent interview with Narda Robinson from CuraCore, she discusses some of the evidence already available on cannabis use, together with what is to come.

?

Cannabis contains a multitude of cannabinoids, the most commonly referred to and studied being CBD and THC. While THC is a psychoactive compound, CBD will have an effect on the LOX and COX pathways within the body, which makes it a valuable substance in the treatment of painful conditions commonly seen in veterinary rehabilitation patients.?

?

Below, we revisit a blog published in response to an interview with Stephen Cital and Liz Hughston from the Veterinary Cannabis Academy.

?

What is Cannabis?

Cannabis is a group of plants containing high levels of cannabinoids, including THC and CBD. THC is a psychoactive cannabinoid, present in marijuana, responsible for the well-known altered mental state or ‘high’. CBD is a non-psychoactive cannabinoid, found in high levels in hemp products.

CBD?can?be?extracted?from?hemp?or?from?a?cannabis?plant?with?a?wider?cannabinoid?profile. CBD?extracted from hemp will have less than 0.3% THC. CBD extracted from a cannabis plant will have a full spectrum of cannabinoids.

When we’re looking for a medicinal product for ourselves or our pets, what we want is essentially a product low in THC and high in CBD. We still want a small concentration of THC, as this cannabinoid is valuable in the treatment of conditions like pain, cancer and appetite stimulation. Too much THC and we start to see negative effects in dogs, such as noise sensitivity, incontinence and a stumbling gait. The extraction process plays a role in the state of the THC, as heat changes its chemical composition, creating a stronger psychoactive response.

When it comes to the different cannabinoids and their individual properties, the more we learn, the more we know we don’t know.

?

Read the full article here