D. Caroline Coile - Cannabis and CBD Science for Dogs: Natural Supplements to Support Healthy Living and Graceful Aging

Natural supplements to
Support Healthy Living
and Graceful Aging

D. Caroline Coile, Ph.D.

ASSISI BIO PRESS

Copyright 2016 by D. Caroline Coile

Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this book may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means (photocopied, recorded, or otherwise), without the prior written permission of the copyright owner, except by a reviewer who wishes to quote brief passages in connection with a review written for insertion in a magazine, newspaper, broadcast, website, blog or other outlet.

The statements in this book have not been evaluated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Please note that the information in this book is for educational purposes only and is not meant as an alternative to medical diagnosis or veterinary treatment. The author makes no representations or warranties in relation to the health information in this book. If you think your pet may be suffering from any medical condition, you should seek veterinary attention. You should never delay seeking veterinary advice or discontinue veterinary treatment because of information in this book.

978-0-9976607-0-8 (Paperback)
978-0-9976607-1-5 (eBook)

Published by Assisi Bio Press

M y background is in science. My Ph.D. is in experimental psychology and neuroscience. I like Western medicine. I dont do crystals or reiki or faith healing or homeopathy. I am skeptical of acupuncture but concede it probably has its place. I tried it with my dogs twice, and it didnt work, so I think its place is not with me. Show me auras and feelings and energy fields, and I remain unconvinced when it comes to medicine. Show me chemicals and neurotransmitters and data points, and Im listening.

So when I heard about medical cannabis for pets, I was skeptical. It sounded a little too much like a New Age touchy-feely a stoned dog is a happy dog approach for me.

For starters, there was the credulity-begging long and diverse list of claims: antianxiety, antiseizure, anti-inflammatory, antibacterialwhat was next? Anticancer? Oh yeah, antitumor also on the list. That sounded suspiciously like snake oil to me.

But theres a fine line between being skeptical and closed-minded, so I (grudgingly) decided to read some of the science (and at that point I was using the term loosely) before shutting my mind to it.

I was about to get an education. First, medical cannabis isnt about getting stoned. Medical cannabis for pets doesnt even have significant THC in it. What a scam! I thought. Whats the good of hemp without THC? Then I learned that THC is far from the only significant cannabinoid in cannabis, and that in fact another, cannabidiol (CBD), is the one that seems to be providing the greatest health benefits. And cannabidiol has no psychoactive effects. So much for stoned dogs lounging around the house.

The more I delved into the subject, the more I found that this was no esoteric fringe science, but a robust area of research. One peer-reviewed paper after another presented data that supported health benefits of cannabinoidssome tentatively, some convincingly. That long list of claims? It turns out theres a valid scientific reason for it: cannabinoid receptors are literally all over the body, acting as homeostatic directors of myriad other neurotransmitters.

During my research, I conducted many interviews with pet owners. Anecdotal evidence doesnt carry the weight of controlled scientific experimentation, but talking to these people was compelling. In many cases they reported that cannabinoids had saved their dogs lives, or at least dramatically improved their quality of life.

Do I believe cannabinoids are miracle workers? No. I dont believe any substance can do it all. But I am convinced cannabinoids have some tantalizing and very likely major health benefits.

Which brings me to the big question: Would I give cannabinoids to my own dogs? The short answer is yes. And if you know me, thats a huge turnaround, because my dogs are the center of my worldjust as I am sure yours are the center of your world. And we all want whats best for them.

All proceeds from this book are donated to charitable organizations which benefit animal rescue, animal health, veterinary research, and animal welfare. Primary recipients are the San Diego Humane Society (www.sdhumane.org/) and the American Kennel Club Canine Health Foundation (www.akcchf.org/).

Founded in 1880, the San Diego Humane Society is a private nonprofit providing vital services to animals and people by sheltering and adopting animals, providing positive reinforcement training classes, investigating animal cruelty and neglect, presenting education programs for youth and adults, and much more. As of 2015, San Diego county reached zero euthanasia for healthy and treatable animals, and is the safest place to be a pet.

The American Kennel Club Canine Health Foundation is dedicated to advancing the health of all dogs and their owners by funding scientific research and supporting the dissemination of health information to prevent, treat, and cure canine disease. Since 1995, the CHF has become the largest funder of exclusively canine health research in the world.

T he indisputable benefits of cannabis for the treatment of a variety of medical conditions have brought about the widespread cultural acceptance of medical marijuana. Not only are people more open to cannabis as a natural therapy, they are also considering this option for their dogs.

This surge of interest has brought to light the general confusion between marijuana and hemp, which involves both legality, chemical composition, and therapeutic application. These differences are especially important when it comes to medical cannabis for pets.

Cannabis has been grown for thousands of years for rope, fabric, oils, and foods, for its psychoactive effects for religious purposes, and most significantly for our discussion, for its medical purposes.

Cannabis has been used as a medicine since ancient times. There is evidence of its use as long ago as 5000 BCE in China and 1000 BCE in India (as mentioned in the sacred Hindu Hymns of Atharvaveda). It was documented by the Greeks in 512 CE in the Vienna Dioscorides.