Is THC Safe For Pets?
While THC from cannabis holds promising therapeutic properties, pet owners often wonder, ‘Is THC safe for dogs and cats?’ In a word, yes. THC from cannabis is being used across therapeutic modalities at an ever increasing rate, and for good reason. With a long list of positive and effective healing properties, it is no wonder this compound is gaining more and more attention. The safety of THC for pets is a common topic of concern due to its psychoactive effects. As with any powerful treatment, we have to approach THC with an awareness of the effects that come with its promising abilities.
Table of Contents
What is THC?
THC is delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, the main psychoactive ingredient in the cannabis plant. Scientists have discovered over 114 unique components called cannabinoids in the cannabis plant. The two most prevalent are CBD and THC.
CBD for pets gets a lot of air time because its powerful healing properties have no associated symptoms of impairment. As for THC for pets, conversations about its potential as a medicine have not been taken up with nearly as much enthusiasm. Despite numerous studies showing its safety and potential in treating cancer and other chronic diseases, the public is still wary of THC because of the associated ‘high’.
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), THC functions similarly to naturally occurring cannabinoid chemicals in the body. Cannabinoid receptors, located primarily in brain regions linked to cognition, memory, pleasure, coordination, and temporal perception, are targeted by THC. Upon binding to these receptors, THC activates them, influencing various aspects such as memory, pleasure, motor skills, cognition, focus, coordination, sensory perception, and time perception.
THC in Full Spectrum Hemp for Pets
“Hemp” refers to cannabis with a THC content of 0.3 percent or less by dry weight. Current federal regulations stipulate that hemp extract must contain less than 0.3% THC. This concentration is insufficient to induce psychoactive effects in dogs except at exceptionally high doses. The 0.3% THC threshold was established as the legal definition of hemp under the Agricultural Act of 2018 and other U.S. laws.
Currently, all CBD Dog Health products are full spectrum hemp products and therefore have less than .3% THC.
Why are our products Full Spectrum Hemp with THC? Because numerous new studies demonstrate that when extracts rich in phytocannabinoids (including THC!), terpenes, and flavonoids are left in their unrefined state, as in a Full Spectrum Hemp Extract, they produce the greatest therapeutic effect. This synergistic phenomenon is colloquially known as The Entourage Effect.
While CBD is effective on its own, a recent analysis demonstrated that CBD’s medicinal effects are much stronger when combined with other synergistic compounds.
As we mentioned previously, the Entourage Effect can only happen when all parts of the cannabis plant are present, and that includes THC. However, just because Full Spectrum Hemp Extract (FSHE) has THC doesn’t mean you (or your pet) is going to get high. The inclusion of THC has been shown to boost the pain relieving and anti-inflammatory effects of CBD oil, so without the THC, you simply will not see the full benefits of CBD oil for pets.
Using a Full Spectrum Hemp Extract with THC for dogs and pets will in fact lessen side effects and increase positive benefits, as shown in this research.
THC in Marijuana
Typically, when people refer to “marijuana,” they are discussing cannabis that has psychoactive effects. Legally, “marijuana” denotes cannabis with more than 0.3 percent THC by dry weight. THC levels can differ among cannabis plants, with some strains intentionally bred to have higher THC concentrations than others.
In some cases, dogs and cats may benefit from cannabis preparations with higher levels of THC. Products containing more than .3% THC are classified as Marijuana.
Reports of animals treated with higher doses of THC show that with gradual THC increase over time, our pets are able to successfully tolerate the psychoactive effects.
What are the benefits of THC For Dogs?
The benefits of THC can not be overstated. It is an essential part of the plant with its own unique healing properties and a strong synergistic relationship to the other cannabinoids.
The entourage effect is a term that describes the complex balance of all the different elements of the cannabis plant. They all work together to amplify each other’s effects and create a multi-target therapy capable of healing many different ailments at once.
Some of the known therapeutic properties of THC include:
- Analgesic (pain management)
- Anti-cancer
- Anti-nausea
- Sedative
- Neuroprotective
- Reduction of intraocular pressure
- Bronchodilator
- Promotes sleep
- Gastrointestinal support
- Appetite stimulant \
THC Toxicity in Pets
THC Toxicity is a phrase that gets thrown around a lot. This is one of the first things that comes up with any google search about cannabis for pets. Reports of pets getting into their owner’s edibles often prompt headlines that claim ‘THC overdose’ and can make it look like normal therapeutic use of THC runs the risk of injury or death. This accidental dosing is not the same as intentional therapeutic use.
Generally speaking, in the conventional veterinary field, there is a lot of uncertainty of the safety of THC and CBD for pets, and unfortunately this is simply due to a lack of knowledge, not a lack of data. Most of what vets experience in the field relating to cannabis is from what vets often call (incorrectly) “THC toxicity” which is usually when a pet ingests their human owners’ crude cannabis flower or edibles. This effect is not truly THC toxicity, but actually intoxication, which has a very different meaning. Toxicity implies that a harmful or fatal effect can happen, when that is simply not the case for cannabis. There is no lethal dose (known as LD50) of either CBD of THC dominant extracts, and this has been proven in lab research.
Is THC Safe for Pets?
The effects of THC in our pets are overwhelmingly beneficial and safe despite the ‘intoxicating’ effects. In addition, there is clinical research that provides evidence as to the safety of cannabis and THC, even at extremely high doses.
One of the clearest examples proving THC’s relative safety in comparison to other common medications is from a study from The Mason Research Institute.
In this clinical study, scientists set out on a mission to find the lethal dose of THC in rats, dogs, and chimpanzees. They experimented using 3000 mg/kg, up to 9000 mg per single dose. This sounds like a lot of THC, and it is. The only way to get this amount of THC into an animal was via super concentrated intravenous injections.
Not only is this a cruel experiment to do on any living creature, but it is also completely out of proportion with what our pets would come into contact with intentionally, or even accidentally in real life.
To give you some context, one standard dose of our Heal tincture contains approximately 0.9 mg of THC. That means they were experimenting with a dosage 10,000 times higher than that. Can you imagine what would happen if you took 10,000 times the recommended dose of your medications? It would be miraculous if there were no adverse effects.
Despite those odds, this study reported no instances of death in their canine test subjects even at those astronomical doses, proving that THC is incredibly safe, despite the somewhat concerning appearance of its psychoactive effects on animals.
What if My Dog Gets Into My Stash?
The cannabis most humans use are strains high in THC and low in CBD. When animals are not properly weaned onto THC (as they would be in a therapeutic manner like for cancer treatment), they will experience intoxicating effects.
Because animals don’t understand being “high”, oftentimes the symptoms of animal THC consumption will be uncomfortable to experience (for both owner and pet), but rest assured they are not fatal effects and will wear off over time. This is what THC intoxication is, and the effects will dissipate as the THC wears off, with no long term harm done to the animal.
Related: My Dog Ate My Edibles: Keeping Your Dog and Your Stash Safe
Can My Dog Have Too Much THC?
Of course! More is not necessarily better. As with any medication our goal is to find the right dose, not the highest dose possible. Dogs have way more receptors for cannabinoids than humans, which means they are super sensitive to all its effects, including the psychoactive ones. This can be extremely uncomfortable and even traumatic for a dog.
In addition, dogs exhibit different responses to THC than humans.
Here are some of the visible effects of high doses of THC in dogs:
- Urinary incontinence
- Cooler body temperature
- Excessive salivation
- Changes in heart rate
- Static Ataxia
THC & Static Ataxia in Dogs
Ataxia is a condition that affects both dogs and humans, arising from issues in controlling voluntary muscle movements linked to certain central nervous system disorders. When the cerebellum, the brain region responsible for coordinating movement, malfunctions, dogs may exhibit awkward or disordered movements, impacting their coordination without diminishing their strength.
Static ataxia specifically refers to the physical state dogs experience with high THC exposure. Despite its alarming name, static ataxia is generally not dangerous for your pet, though it can be uncomfortable.
Unlike humans, dogs consuming high doses of THC can display pronounced loss of coordination, balance, and motor function. They often stagger while walking, sway when standing, and maintain a wide, rigid stance, resembling a drunken or woozy appearance as reported.
Typically, these effects are not observed in animals taking full spectrum hemp extract, because the amount of THC is so low, but it can happen at extremely high doses of FSHE. Instances have been documented, particularly in elderly dogs receiving THC for the first time.
Dogs administered products containing higher THC levels may be more susceptible to static ataxia and other side effects. However, these effects often diminish over time and can be mitigated by initiating treatment with a low dose and gradually adjusting as needed.
What do Veterinarians say about THC for Dogs & Pets?
Most conventional, western style veterinary colleges teach very little about whole plant medicine, never mind cannabis and the endocannabinoid system.
Additionally, veterinarians are regulated by state medical boards and must adhere to stringent standards to maintain their licenses and continue practicing. Discussing hemp, CBD or THC for pets with a patient, or recommending it as a wellness option for an animal could potentially lead to disciplinary measures, including suspension or revocation of their license.
Clinical research takes time, and some veterinarians might be reluctant to discuss hemp, CBD or THC for dogs, simply because they are waiting for more concrete research to be completed.
It is because of this, as well as the stringent laws regarding their ability to advise on cannabis for pets, that many conventional vets refuse to recommend or even discuss cannabis & THC for pets.
Why are Vets Scared of THC for Pets?
When we raised our concerns over the safety of cannabis and THC to Dr. Gary Richter MS, DVM, CVA, CVC, a leading voice in cannabis medicine for pets, his response mirrored our experience.
“Life-threatening risks for dogs from medical cannabis are exceedingly rare,” Richter says. “Toxicity more often occurs when a pet has eaten a product that contains chocolate, coffee, or raisins. Even if the THC toxicity is not excessive, they can sometimes have problems due to these other ingredients.”
When veterinarians’ main experience with cannabis is dogs who have been unintentionally exposed to cannabis and consumed human doses of THC along with other truly harmful substances, it is no surprise they are hesitant to recommend it as treatment.
Research on THC for Dogs
Typically, conventional veterinarians will say that they don’t have enough information from clinical trials to discuss or recommend hemp or CBD for dogs, but that is changing quickly. Since 2018, there have been significant advances in clinical research by reputable scientific institutions around the world. There is still so much to be done, but these studies corroborate the overwhelming anecdotal evidence that has accumulated for decades.
Here’s a great double-blind, peer-reviewed study from February 2020 that looks at the effects of products containing different ratios of CBD to THC for dogs.
Because of the mounting evidence as well as pressure from the public, veterinarians are growing more open-minded and comfortable with cannabis as an alternative therapy.
At present, veterinarians who know a good deal about cannabis medicine have actively gone out and learned in their own private time. In time, training in cannabis medicine will become a necessary part of their training.
Vets Who Recommend Full Spectrum Hemp with THC for Pets
Another veterinarian who has actual experience working with cannabis medicine is Dr. Trina Hazzah, DVM, DACVIM, CVCH. Dr. Hazzah has been practicing with Chinese herbal medicine and cannabis medicine for years, while working as an oncologist at the busy Los Angeles VCA Animal Hospital.
I spoke to her about how she uses cannabis in personalized treatment for animals suffering from different cancers.
Dr. Hazzah advocates openly for the importance of a healthy diet and the use of full spectrum hemp and cannabis for pets as an alternative to damaging and invasive cancer therapies, typical to western veterinary medicine.
“I always say to people, what’s the worst that can happen — they stare at the wall for a while if they get too much?” says Dr. Hazzah. “But, what’s the worst that my chemo can do? Much worse than that. And you can use cannabis to help balance the side effects of chemotherapy and other western treatment.”
Again, all CBD Dog Health products are full spectrum hemp products and therefore have less than .3% THC. But we love to see that veterinarians like Dr. Hazzah, who understand the benefits of cannabis medicine and are working with cases where she is treating patients with up to 100mg of THC for dogs in a dose, and doing it safely and successfully.
Tips for Safely Using THC for Pets
- Do the research and ensure you are using a high-quality product.
- When dosing with higher levels of THC for dogs, always start low, and slowly increase the dose over time.
- Monitor your pet closely and keep a journal to record the effects.
- Consult with a medical cannabis expert or holistic veterinarian.
Final Thoughts on THC for Pets
Cannabis medicine is not just one compound, it is whole plant medicine and it can be complex. We are seeing new research all the time, and in the coming years we can expect to even more about cannabis medicine for animals and humans both. For now, we know that Full Spectrum Hemp is completely safe and beneficial for pets.
For most ailments, the .3% THC found in a full-spectrum extract like our CBD pet products is enough for your pet to receive the best therapeutic benefits safely. The amount of THC in a standard dose of full spectrum hemp for pets is not enough to cause any psychoactive side effects and is perfectly safe.
