Know the Realities and Myths About Cannabis Oil for Pet Cancer

Let’s clear up the myths about cannabis oil for pet cancer. Many unscrupulous companies are preying on desperate and innocent people by promoting it as a cancer cure. Please know there is no proof that cannabis oil cures cancer. We at Tripawds are all in favor of complimentary therapies, but not at the cost of withholding proven medical treatments for pets or people. Here is what science currently tells us about cannabis oil for pet cancer :

The Truth About Cannabis Oil for Pet Cancer

First it’s important to understand that not all cannabis oil gets pets high. Cannabis CBD oil is similar to marijuana in that it is also derived from the Cannabis sativa plant. This plant has two types of compounds called cannabinoids known as tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD). The first, THC, has properties that can get you high and harm pets by making them stoned. The second, CBD, does not have intoxicating effects on people or dogs. Most cannabis oil for pets does not have THC. That’s the good news.

Now that we have that straight, let’s go over what’s known about cannabis oil for pets.

Fact #1: Cannabis oil tinctures, treats or other forms do not cure cancer.

Do a search for “cannabis oil pet cancer” and you’ll see a flood of websites by hemp oil hustlers selling their products. Some blatantly claim it will “cure” cancer. You’ll also notice relatively few, if any, human or animal veterinary clinical papers or journals are ranked in those search results. This is a warning and should tell you something.

If hemp or cannabis oil could cure pet cancer, papers published by the brilliant veterinary scientists of the world would be on page one search results! Please don’t fall for unscrupulous claims that the medical community is holding back treatment information out of greed or profit-motives. You won’t find the medical community getting behind cannabis as a cure because the proof does not exist at this point in time.

In his excellent article “Medical Marijuana as the new Herbalism,” human surgical oncologist  David H. Gorski, MD, PhD, FACS writes “There’s a lot of interesting research about the role of cannabinoid receptors in cancer and whether targeting them with cannabinoid agonists from marijuana or other natural sources, synthetic agonists, or endocannibinoids will be a useful tool to add to the armamentarium of anticancer therapies.” But he adds the caveat,

“From what we know now, it is quite clear that cannabis does not cure cancer, at least not by itself and certainly not ingested or smoked as marijuana or ingested or applied topically as hemp oil. Even in purified form, naturally-derived or synthetic cannabinoid agonists show relatively modest antitumor activity in preclinical models, which means that they will have to be combined with existing chemotherapeutic regimens. If they do find their way into the routine clinical treatment of cancer, it will be through rigorous pharmacological studies and rigorous clinical trials, the latter of which, in particular, are painfully lacking.”

Fact #2: Cannabinoids May Have Benefits in the Treatment of Cancer-Related Side Effects

Take the word “cure” out of the cannabis oil for pets picture and now you’re talking about something that can help your pet feel better if feeling the effects of cancer therapy. Even the U.S. National Cancer Institute position on Cannabis and Cannabinoids states that “Cannabinoids may have benefits in the treatment of cancer-related side effects.”

This Dogs Naturally Magazine article, “Cannabis for Your Dog: How it Can Help” explains in great detail how CBD oil can help. In short, anecdotal evidence points to cannabinoids having anti-inflammatory effects on people and pets that may lessen pain resulting from ailments like seizures and cancer. Cannabis oil can also decrease anxiety levels. While anecdotal evidence abounds about cannabis oil, science-based studies are only now just starting. Veterinary teaching institutes like Colorado State University are beginning cannabis studies on pets and leading the way.

Use Cannabis Oil with Veterinary Supervision

If you are exploring cannabis oil for pet cancer, Dr. Karen Becker has advice for you in her HealthyPets blog:

“The veterinary community generally agrees that much more cannabis research in pets is needed before we can feel completely comfortable using or recommending it,” writes . “If you have a pet you feel might benefit from marijuana or hemp, I recommend first trying to locate a veterinarian with some experience in treating pets with cannabis-based products.”

If you are going to buy cannabis oil, get it from reputable companies recommended by your veterinarian. One company is RX Vitamins for Pets (disclaimer: a Tripawds Foundation supporter). Earlier this year when Tripawds exhibited at the Western Veterinary Conference, we learned about the nutraceutical formula called HempRX. This CBD oil is created by veterinary scientists specifically for pets and sold exclusively to veterinary health care professionals. This video gets into more detail about HempRX, as explained by Dr. Robert J. Silver, DVM, MS, CVA, master formulator and chief medical officer of Rx Vitamins for Pets.

Meanwhile, if you are in favor of using CBD oil for pet cancer and want to see it become a mainstream therapy for decreasing side effects, consider supporting studies led by groups like the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association. The AHVMA advocates for more research on complimentary therapies, including the uses of cannabis oil for pet cancer.