Hemp vs. CBD: What Pet Owners Need to Know

by Dr Megan

It’s not uncommon for us to be asked about the use of marijuana products for pets but as with so many things in medicine, it’s not quite that straightforward.

The first thing is to understand the difference between some of the different names that are used in the marketing of these products. Strictly speaking, while hemp and cannabis plants are in the same family, only marijuana plants have a high enough concentration of THC to be ‘fun’ for humans. Unfortunately, THC is not so fun for pets though, as they seem to get all the unpleasant effects and not the buzz that the humans are chasing. Pets might be hyperactive or sleepy, vocal, drool, vomit or have urinary incontinence. If the dose is high enough it can cause seizures and coma.

Other cannabinoids can be found in both plants and some of those can be very helpful as therapeutic agents with some claims around seizure prevention, anxiety reduction, pain and inflammation. These compounds are found in the leaves, flowers and stems of the plant. Cannabidiol (CBD) is the compound with the most research around its use. In Australia CBD products can only be legally prescribed by a health practitioner or veterinary surgeon and there are specific guidelines that have to be followed around the quality, strength and dosage. For veterinary patients we can only prescribe something that is at a minimum 98% CBD to ensure it is not contaminated with enough THC to cause problems. Anything labeled as CBD that is purchased from health shops or markets is either fraudulent or an illegally made product and unless it clearly states the concentration per ml and the purity of the CBD you could risk causing a toxicity in your pet by administering the product.

In contrast, hemp oil on the other hand, is made from the seeds of the cannabis plants. These seeds do not contain any cannabinoids but are rich in omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, which can have a helpful effect on the body. However these effects are no different to any other source of omega-3’s such as fish oil, flaxseed oil, etc. that are also readily available for purchase over the counter. Sadly, the rules around supplements are not as strict as with medicines and often these products can be marketed to confuse the consumer into thinking that they will have benefits more similar to the CBD products.
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Hemp and cannabis products have a useful place in veterinary medicine, but understanding the differences can help to target their benefits to the right situations.