food

“It Quickly Made a Difference”: Bay Area Woman Claims Marijuana Pills Helped Save Dog's Life

A Bay Area woman claims a cannabis pill made for animals helped save her dog's life.

Jocelyn Rosenthal said two years ago veterinarians told her Tuco, an Australian Shepherd mix, may not survive much longer.

The dog suffered from severe allergies and digestion problems, which kept him from absorbing nutrients in food.

"All his ribs were showing," Rosenthal said.

Rosenthal said prescription drugs made Tuco hallucinate, which prompted her to look for other options.

Tuco is now served a cannabis pill made by Washington-based Canna Companion.

The company on its website claims pets suffering from conditions ranging from joint pain to neurological issues may benefit from the hemp supplement.

"It quickly made a difference in his digestion," Rosenthal said after Tuco took the cannabis pills. "We could see that right away."

Rosenthal said Tuco put on 10 pounds since she started him on the cannabis treatment.

"There have been no side effects (and) no down sides we've been able to see," Rosenthal said.

In February, the FDA warned Canna Companion and companies offering similar pet products to remove unproven health claims from their website.

"Any new product on the market can have some risk if it hasn't been tested for efficacy or safety," veterinarian Stephanie Laplume said.

Laplume said more studies are needed before she would prescribe cannabis for patients. 

"It has potential use for both anti nausea and pain relief," Laplume said.

While doctors wait for conclusive evidence on cannabis treatment, Rosenthal said her healthy pup is all the proof she needs.

"He has gotten his life back," Rosenthal said.

The THC levels in Canna Companion products are extremeley low.

Cannabis for pets is legal in small doses. If the product contains less than 3 percent of THC levels it is considered a food supplement.

Still, veterinarians warn that self medicating your pet with marijuana can be deadly.

Contact Us