Veterinarians can’t prescribe cannabis for their animal patients. Under the Cannabis Act, medical cannabis only applies to humans.
How comfortable are you with purchasing an extract product? What about growing or buying the plant to make your own extract? How will you dose it? Do you know what (side) effects you need to watch for?
There are currently no approved cannabis-derived prescription drugs for animals in Canada. No CBD products that are marketed and sold in Canada for use in pets are legal. The only legal CBD products you may purchase are those sold for adult recreational use in licensed dispensaries.
What to look for:
You can tell if the CBD you buy is legal or black market by looking at the packaging. Legal products:
- Are packaged in plain black and white, and labeled according to rules set by Health Canada.
- Have packaging with a CRA excise stamp.
- Do not make health claims.
- Do not indicate animal use
Every batch of a legal extract is tested to make sure that concentrations of CBD and THC on the label are accurate. In addition, they are certified free of pesticides, mold toxins, and heavy metals.
Cannabis Guidance:
Veterinarians may advise clients on the use of cannabis for their pets based on sound professional judgment, and we may guide you on the safe use of legally available recreational cannabis products (harm reduction information).
During your consultation, we will discuss your treatment goals and the benefits and drawbacks of adding CBD to your pet’s medical therapy plan.
The consultation also consists of a complete review of your pet’s medical records, diet, medications, supplements, and any other therapies in use, potential drug-drug and drug-herb interactions, and analysis of available products that may be used. Progress visits will fine-tune therapies until your treatment goals have been met. For existing patients, both initial cannabis consultations and progress visits can be a telemedicine virtual consultations. Book an appointment
