My experiences with medical cannabidiol (CBD) began with trying to find relief from the chronic pain of osteoarthritis in my back, which caused secondary sciatica in one leg. Because my cats are old and creaky like me, I wondered about cannabidiol helping them age. All of them are rescue cats, most are feral or semi-feral. It’s quite possible they may have lingering issues, like incompletely healed fractures from falls, gastrointestinal issues from scavenging and so on.
In August of 2017 one of my tame cats, Boyo, suddenly sprouted a huge lump on his forehead. It drained somewhat with homeopathics but then became hard. The homeopathics stopped helping and the vet’s medication didn’t help at all. But CBD, in the form called Phoenix Tears, rubbed on his gums, got him through that last night. The vet said they are not licensed yet for CBD use and and the next step would be to drill through the skull and take a tissue sample. I opted to stop the agony for Boyo.
My own CBD includes THC (short for tetrahydrocannabinol, the psychoactive component of cannabis), but it does not make me high. Dispensary staff explained that CBD and THC work synergistically which cancels out the high. They also said the THC relieves pain quickly while the CBD takes more time to kick in. A few drops CBD in the morning when I get up and a few drops just before bed keep me mostly pain-free.
When I first decided to get CBD for Boyo, I did a little research and learned that THC is toxic to animals. I bought the Phoenix Tears because they have only trace CBD at 0.5%. But I researched more and found that CBD can also be derived from hemp, which by definition has 0.3% or less THC.
Hemp is legal in the United States, Canada and a number of other countries. However, in Canada hemp is legal but CBD is not! It is a Schedule 2 Controlled Drug and Substance. Derivatives is specifically pertaining to hemp, a cousin of cannabis. Cannabidiol is CBD. Non-medical cannabis is expected to be legalised in Canada in the summer of 2018. So I began looking to hemp oil for as an aging supplement for my cats. Veterinarians and pet owners have used pet CBD for seizures, cancer, inflammation, nausea, anxiety, stress, pain and gastrointestinal problems.
Hemp sources and extraction methods are among the things to be considered. This article by Dr. Michael Petty, lists points to consider.
Now there are many hemp CBD producers springing up and many have CBD oil specifically for pets: cats, dogs and horses. Some companies, like Canna-Pet also have other CBD products, such as dog biscuits. But I live in Canada, and according to their website, Canna-Pet does not ship to Australia, Canada, New Zealand, or Singapore. There is also the issue of duty charges when product is shipped from another country. So I was pleased to discover that my medical cannabis dispensary carries hemp-derived products for pets from Apawthecary Pets.
Apawthecary Pets is located in British Columbia, Canada. They offer hemp oil for cats, dogs, and horses in different size bottles, different concentrations and different flavours. They offer a bacon and seafood flavour as well as a cinnamon apple flavour for horses. Apawthecary Pets also offers salves and treats for dogs and promises that treats are coming soon for cats and horses. In addition, they carry a line of products with higher dosage amounts for veterinarians. Their website has detailed dosage information and they ship across Canada. Their US company will be opening soon.
I’ve tried a small bottle of the seafood-flavoured hemp oil for cats. My idea was to see if I could give them a small supplement of 2-5 drops per day and if they would take it. They didn’t seem to react to a smell but were happy to lick it off a paw or with their food.
Now, if you remember, I mentioned most of my cats are feral (whom I can’t touch) and semi-feral (whom I can touch only if they feel like it) rescues. They scavenge each other’s food dishes. So the plant medicine in their food is consumed but probably not equally by each cat. In addition, if I were try to treat a feral cat for a specific ailment, it would be difficult to ensure a complete dose was delivered. Under these conditions, it is difficult to test results. However I did notice my feral grandma cat (probably around 19 years old) was less vocal than usual. I would like to think the product soothed the arthritis I suspect she has.
Given the difficulty of handling feral and semi-feral cats, I often use sound frequencies. I discovered this use back in 2009 working with a feral cat with cancer. I wrote an eBook about it and this website that explains how frequencies work, and reviews some of the sound frequencies created by developers for specific ailments.
And yes, there is now a Digital CBD audio developed by Eric Thompson, a developer who created some of the other audios in my collection. He has developed “energy medicine” which affects one’s entire biofield through his proprietary method. I just downloaded it and now play it for the cats through my computer or mp3 player. It benefits me too, of course. This audio specifically does not include THC frequencies and I’m told Eric has used it around his own cats. Whether for an animal you can’t handle, or for yourself, Digital CBD also has another advantage besides convenience. You never have to refill. You (or your animals) listen as needed.
News reports are saying that more and more people are giving cannabis and/or CBD to their animals. Much research is still needed so it is important that the basic facts about toxicity are known. Please share.