{"id":3422,"date":"2018-08-01T00:00:49","date_gmt":"2018-08-01T07:00:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/todaysveterinarybusiness.com\/?p=3422"},"modified":"2022-03-09T18:50:50","modified_gmt":"2022-03-09T18:50:50","slug":"plant-a-seed","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/navc.sitepreview.app\/todaysveterinarybusiness.com\/plant-a-seed\/","title":{"rendered":"Plant a seed"},"content":{"rendered":"

My dog loves popcorn, but not just any popcorn. He loves the simple, homemade stuff \u2014 just oil, corn and salt \u2014 that I make in my grandfather\u2019s old popcorn pot. Since Jack, my 12-year-old miniature schnauzer, was a puppy, he\u2019d come running as soon as he heard the kernels begin to pop, jumping up on his hind legs to catch the pieces I\u2019d toss his way. Over the past couple of years, though, Jack has responded more slowly to the popping kernels. I sometimes noticed a slight limp as he hurried to the kitchen. He stopped jumping for pieces, opting to wait for them to hit the floor.<\/p>\n

Jack, it turned out, has arthritis. He\u2019s been on joint supplements for several years, but the disease has taken its toll. Hoping to help relieve his pain, I reached out to Casara Andre, DVM, cVMA, the owner of Veterinary Cannabis, an education and consulting company near Denver.<\/p>\n

\u201cEvery person I consult on cannabis just wants guidance,\u201d said Dr. Andre, who will host the second annual Cannabis in Veterinary Medicine Symposium in October. \u201cThe pet owners who contact me just want to help their pet, and their vet isn\u2019t able to talk to them about it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Stephen Cital, RVT, RLAT, SRA, VTS-LAM, who speaks nationally about cannabis, said veterinarians have an ethical and moral obligation to learn about cannabis even if they don\u2019t agree with its use in animals.<\/p>\n

\u201cClients are going to ask about it,\u201d Cital said. \u201cWhen a veterinarian shuts down the conversation because he or she doesn\u2019t really know about it, that opens the pet up to being harmed inadvertently by the owner, who might give a product on their own that\u2019s not well researched or has other ingredients that might be dangerous.\u201d<\/p>\n

Marijuana vs. Cannabis<\/h3>\n

Marijuana is classified as a Schedule 1 substance under the U.S. Controlled Substances Act. But is marijuana the same as cannabis? What about hemp? The terms are often misunderstood.<\/p>\n

\u201cUnder the Controlled Substances Act, marijuana refers to certain portions of the Cannabis sativa L.<\/em> plant, including the flowers, the leaves and the viable seeds,\u201d said Garrett Graff, an attorney with Hoban Law Group in Denver.<\/p>\n

Other parts of the cannabis plant, like the stalks, stems, nonviable seeds and fibers, are exempt from the legal definition of marijuana. Pursuant to the Agricultural Act of 2014, also known as the Farm Bill, Congress defined hemp as all parts of the Cannabis sativa L.<\/em> plant below 0.3 percent THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) by dry weight.<\/p>\n

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Jack, the author\u2019s 12-year-old miniature schnauzer, experienced less pain after he was put on 0.4 ml\/day of a 4:1 CBD-to-THC cannabis oil tincture.<\/p><\/div>\n

While Graff recommends that veterinarians ask their respective boards of licensure for guidance on cannabis, Cital says many boards have gone too far.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe California Veterinary Medical Board has overreached with its mandate that veterinarians cannot discuss marijuana hemp products or CBD [cannabidiol],\u201d Cital said. \u201cThey mentioned CBD specifically when we know that, at the federal level, CBD derived from hemp is legal.\u201d<\/p>\n

State licenses aren\u2019t the only thing practitioners could risk if they discuss cannabis with clients.<\/p>\n

\u201cMany practitioners also hold DEA [Drug Enforcement Administration<\/a>] licensure, which could be implicated given marijuana is federally illegal,\u201d Graff said.<\/p>\n

When it comes to veterinary nurses, \u201cIt depends on the state that you\u2019re in and what you\u2019re talking about,\u201d Cital said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you\u2019re talking to owners about marijuana-derived cannabinoids, that is opening you up for reprimand from the veterinary medical board in your state,\u201d he said. \u201cIf you\u2019re discussing CBD sourced from industrial hemp or hemp products, that, legally \u2014 even at the federal level \u2014 does not open you up to anything.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cital\u2019s medical record notes are purposely vague when he consults on cannabis.<\/p>\n

\u201cI write something to the effect of, \u2018Discussed endocannabinoid support,\u2019\u201d he said. \u201cI think that\u2019s a great way to protect the practitioner from legal recourse.\u201d<\/p>\n

Are You In or Out?<\/h3>\n

Clients are going to provide cannabis to their pets whether veterinarians like it or not, Cital said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have to do what keeps the clients happy, and clients are interested in this product,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Even though clients might be interested in cannabis, the veterinary profession walks a fine legal line. Dr. Andre does not recommend that any veterinarian or veterinary clinic be the direct source of a cannabis product, regardless of its status as hemp or marijuana.<\/p>\n

Marijuana products (greater than 0.3 percent THC<\/a>) can be purchased through a dispensary in states that legalized recreational marijuana. Hemp products (less than 0.3 percent THC) might be available from online and brick-and-mortar retailers, depending on local laws.<\/p>\n

\u201cMany of the companies that understand the legal risk faced by veterinarians offer affiliate programs where the clinic can get a financial [inducement] when their clients purchase products,\u201d Dr. Andre said. \u201cThis is a much safer way to handle the merging of cannabis and the veterinary industry right now. The DEA licenses of veterinarians should not be jeopardized just to add another product to the shelf.\u201d<\/p>\n

But, when handled properly, veterinary cannabis can add to a veterinary practice\u2019s bottom line.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis can create a really nice revenue stream for veterinary practices,\u201d Cital said. \u201cThere\u2019s no reason that we can\u2019t be part of this successful, multibillion-dollar industry.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cannabis has the potential to increase revenue and improve patient care, Dr. Andre added.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople want that guidance, and they are willing to pay for it.\u201d<\/p>\n

I paid for veterinary cannabis, and after nearly six months of daily doses, Jack\u2019s arthritis pain has diminished noticeably. Now when I make popcorn, he runs to me like a puppy, ready to jump for every piece I toss his way.<\/p>\n

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THE PATH TO CANNABIS<\/span><\/h3>\n

Embracing cannabis as a treatment option in a veterinary practice can:<\/p>\n