ROUND TOWN
By Dr. Ryan Ehlinger
elcome faithful readers to our next installment of Veterinary Tails. After a summer of foxtails, rattlesnake bites, gunshot wounds, hit by cars, and a flurry of catfights we are back to share some stories from the team down at Main Street. One of the most common questions I am asked these days by clients is the effects of CBD oil or cannabidiol on a variety of pet illnesses. Will CBD oil fix allergies? Seizures? Arthritis? (insert your pet’s health problem here)? Many people are just giving it to their pets because Dr Google said it works for IBD...or my friends brothers’ dog is surviving cancer because of CBD oil...and so on. As a veterinarian, I choose to practice evidence-based medicine. This means that I recommend treatments that are clinically studied and proven to improve outcomes for various diseases. I
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treatment. One such client called me up about a year ago and told me she had started CBD oil for her dog who is battling cancer. The dog had a very aggressive cancer of the anal gland which was treated at our hosbelieve this is important as clients toxicity. Tinctures were found to pital via surgery and chemotherapy. and their pets are counting on me be the best vehicle for absorption. He was doing quite well and was to give them the best, most current Side effects in dogs were found to already outliving many other dogs advice. This advice has to be based be diarrhea and elevated liver val- with this same type of cancer beon science or I am not giving them ues when high doses were admin- cause of the early detection and the best possible care. If a product is istered. The study was generally treatment. He also happens to suffer proven to help your dog or cat, you supportive of CBD oil from a safe- from epileptic seizures. The owner was asking about how much CBD to give her dog. She was conI am excited to see results of these studies and apply oil cerned because the dog was really them to our clinical practice at Main Street. groggy on the product and she was worried she might be overdosing will find it at my clinic and it will be ty and toxicity standpoint. Phase 2 him. I asked her how much she was recommended when appropriate. If of the research is looking into the giving him and how often. I told a product is unproven or unstudied, effectiveness of CBD oil in treating her that the amount she was giving it is unlikely that I will recommend two specific dog ailments; arthritis was not a typical oral dose. She said and epileptic seizures. The results “oral dose...I’ve been giving it per it in most circumstances. Colorado State University (the of these studies should be available rectum as that is where his cancer alma matter of our newest DVM at later this year or in early 2019. I am is at!” Who knew the frontier of the clinic Alex Gomes) is leading excited to see results of these studies dog cancer research was right here the way with CBD oil research in and apply them to our clinical prac- in the North County! I have to say that dog is doing really well on both dogs. They are doing two phases of tice at Main Street. studies. Phase 1 was completed in Many of our clients are not wait- the cancer and epilepsy fronts. Is it 2016 and looked at the basics of ing on the clinical research. They the CBD oil? The research should CBD oil; absorption, safety, and are jumping right in and beginning be available soon...
PASO Magazine, September 2018
