Medical Marijuana for Dogs

by Dr. Chris

August 28, 2011 Medical Marijuana for dogs is coming soon. Medical Marijuana Delivery Systems (MMDS) located in Seattle recently got patent rights for a marijuana patch for dogs, cats, and horses.

They say the product’s name will be Tetracan, which will be a patch that delivers marijuana trans-cutaneously to dogs.

Medical Marijuana Benefits for Dogs

Similar to people, medical marijuana for dogs would be primarily used to control pain. Other benefits include increasing appetite and decreasing nausea. So dogs with severe pain, or those undergoing chemotherapy could likely benefit.

But it’s doubtful, even if the Tetracan patch does come to market, and it gets legalized, many veterinarians may be reluctant to stock it in their clinics for fear of abuse.

When it comes to legalizing medical marijuana for people, 15 states so far have allowed it. Those include Washington, Alaska, Vermont, Arizona, Rhode Island, California, Oregon, Colorado, New Mexico, Delaware, New Jersey, Hawaii, Nevada, Maine, Montana, and Michigan.

But in June the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) released a statement saying that there was no accepted medical use of marijuana (also known as cannabis) and that they would start enforcing federal restrictions on the drug.

But Jim Alekson, CEO of Medical Marijuana Delivery Systems LLC is hopeful. Alekson says it’s about quality of life, and that medical marijuana for dogs could help with everything from arthritis to cancer, and it is much safer than many pharmaceutical painkillers for dog pain relief.

How Does Marijuana Work?

Medical marijuana for dogs works by binding to nerve receptors that block or slow down pain transmissions in the spinal cord.

For more options see: Dog Pain Relief

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