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The use of "medical marijuana" has slowly become legal in 19 states in the country over the past 14 years. According to DebateMarijuana.com, thousands of people are taking advantage of the herb to alleviate pain, to deal with devastating illnesses and to counter the miserable side effects of chemotherapy. Additionally, many other patients claim numerous benefits with the judicious marijuana use.
Since federal law continues to ban the use of marijuana as a recreational drug (with the exception of limited amounts used legally in Washington and Colorado and the District of Columbia), the prejudiced attitudes and outdated regulations make it extremely difficult for scientists to do legitimate research into the drug's effectiveness. Defining cannabis as potentially addictive with no medical benefit, it is listed as a Schedule 1 drug by the Drug Enforcement Agency.
But is it possible that this highly controversial weed can also help terminally ill pets suffering constant, intractable pain? According to HuffingtonPost.com, California resident Laura Bugni-Daniel is singing its praises. After watching her aging bulldog vomiting and suffering for two years, she help alleviate his suffering with the cannabis she put in what she calls "magic cheese."
California veterinarian, Dr. Doug Kramer, 36, dubbed the "Vet Guru," also speaks out in favor of the use of marijuana to manage pain in terminally ill pets. Kramer said, "I grew tired of euthanizing pets when I wasn't doing everything I could to make their lives better. I felt like I was letting them down."
Kramer eased the pain of his Siberian Husky, Nikita during her final weeks following tumor removal surgery using marijuana. She began eating, gained weight and once again started greeting him at the door. Since cannabis is not a "cure," Nikita's life was only extended six weeks before she had to be euthanized. But he feels in those weeks her life was greatly improved and she was not in pain.
Although several other vets share Kramer's opinion, they won't talk about it openly because they are afraid of retaliation or arrest. While Kramer hasn't lost any of his clients due to his opinions, other clinics in which he filled in or volunteered have requested that he leave, fearing a negative reputation.
There are veterinarians who not keen about the use of medical marijuana treatment for pets, citing that with the concomitant rise of humans using the drug, there has been an increase in cases of accidental marijuana overdoses in dogs.
Barry Kellogg, senior veterinary advisor to the Humane Society of the United States said, "Sometimes public sentiment and activity gets ahead of the scientific background and that can be dangerous." At the same time, managers of marijuana clinics claim that bad reactions can be prevented with proper dosage, and many veterinary practitioners feel the drug has great merit.
Even though there is a growing interest in the use of medical marijuana for pets who are appropriate, the jury is still out until sufficient research can back up the claims of its worth. But advocates are highly concerned that it may be a decade or more before researchers can scientifically attest to its efficacy and safety.
But in spite of the plethora of positive anecdotal reports, according to Critterology, cannabis is toxic to cats, dogs and other animals, so great care must be taken to not expose them to this substance.
News Hawk- Truth Seeker 420 MAGAZINE ®
Source: petside.com
Author: Jo Singer
Contact: https://secure.petside.com/contact
Website: Medical Marijuana for Pets Supported by California Veterinarian | Petside
Since federal law continues to ban the use of marijuana as a recreational drug (with the exception of limited amounts used legally in Washington and Colorado and the District of Columbia), the prejudiced attitudes and outdated regulations make it extremely difficult for scientists to do legitimate research into the drug's effectiveness. Defining cannabis as potentially addictive with no medical benefit, it is listed as a Schedule 1 drug by the Drug Enforcement Agency.
But is it possible that this highly controversial weed can also help terminally ill pets suffering constant, intractable pain? According to HuffingtonPost.com, California resident Laura Bugni-Daniel is singing its praises. After watching her aging bulldog vomiting and suffering for two years, she help alleviate his suffering with the cannabis she put in what she calls "magic cheese."
California veterinarian, Dr. Doug Kramer, 36, dubbed the "Vet Guru," also speaks out in favor of the use of marijuana to manage pain in terminally ill pets. Kramer said, "I grew tired of euthanizing pets when I wasn't doing everything I could to make their lives better. I felt like I was letting them down."
Kramer eased the pain of his Siberian Husky, Nikita during her final weeks following tumor removal surgery using marijuana. She began eating, gained weight and once again started greeting him at the door. Since cannabis is not a "cure," Nikita's life was only extended six weeks before she had to be euthanized. But he feels in those weeks her life was greatly improved and she was not in pain.
Although several other vets share Kramer's opinion, they won't talk about it openly because they are afraid of retaliation or arrest. While Kramer hasn't lost any of his clients due to his opinions, other clinics in which he filled in or volunteered have requested that he leave, fearing a negative reputation.
There are veterinarians who not keen about the use of medical marijuana treatment for pets, citing that with the concomitant rise of humans using the drug, there has been an increase in cases of accidental marijuana overdoses in dogs.
Barry Kellogg, senior veterinary advisor to the Humane Society of the United States said, "Sometimes public sentiment and activity gets ahead of the scientific background and that can be dangerous." At the same time, managers of marijuana clinics claim that bad reactions can be prevented with proper dosage, and many veterinary practitioners feel the drug has great merit.
Even though there is a growing interest in the use of medical marijuana for pets who are appropriate, the jury is still out until sufficient research can back up the claims of its worth. But advocates are highly concerned that it may be a decade or more before researchers can scientifically attest to its efficacy and safety.
But in spite of the plethora of positive anecdotal reports, according to Critterology, cannabis is toxic to cats, dogs and other animals, so great care must be taken to not expose them to this substance.
News Hawk- Truth Seeker 420 MAGAZINE ®
Source: petside.com
Author: Jo Singer
Contact: https://secure.petside.com/contact
Website: Medical Marijuana for Pets Supported by California Veterinarian | Petside
