Budtender Endangers Cancer Dog & Victimizes Pet Owner
Dept. of Real Life
Many of our clients come directly from the vet’s office, especially when their beloved pets are just diagnosed with cancer. We work with many clients and vets themselves who are calling us to understand what we do and how we ensure pet safety with our products. In fact, we’re currently treating over 10 animals owned by vets, vet techs or veterinary medical workers.
This story came straight from a renowned vet to our inbox less than 10 days ago, verbatim:
“A client comes into my office today with a dog that was diagnosed with amast cell tumor. She panicked at the diagnosis and went to a dispensary. The dispensary sold her a 1:1 oil, a 100:1 CBD dominant oil, two different 100:1 THC dominant oils, and an unlabeled syringe that I can only assume is some kind of Rick Simpson Oil.
The client had no idea what she had bought or how to give any of it other than she thinks the dispensary told her one of the products was supposed to be topical. Fortunately, she had enough sense not to give anything before coming in.”
A Cautionary Tale/Tail – Good Intentions Are Not Enough
While the sales person and the dispensary may have the desire to help the distraught pet owner, good intentions are not enough. The reason is simple: human medical or recreational cannabis products are not appropriate for medical use with your pets.
Why not? Safety is the highest priority, and the example above indicates several critical concerns:
>Potency: The amount of THCd-9 in the pictured products is more than sufficient to intoxicate the dog, causing disorientation, hyperactivity, low or elevated heart rate and blood pressure, lethargy, drop in body temperature, respiratory depression, or even potentially death. We at right:ratio also are concerned about the potential of CBD being a cardio-stimulant which can increase cardiac activity, so even if the products were CBD “only,” the dog’s safety could have been put at risk by using a product that may be far too potent for a dog, especially one battling cancer.
>Dosing: Perhaps thankfully, the budtender who sold the pictured products to the distressed pet owner, apparently did not provide any advice regarding how to use the products with a dog. That’s probably a good thing, considering there is evidence that the canine brain has many more endocannabinoid receptors than the human brain, which means there is a higher sensitivity to cannabinoids and requires much more careful dosing in dogs. We measure cannabinoids in right:ratio to the hundredth of a milligram/milliliter and blend them to that level of precision.
>Mixing Medical Cannabis Treatments: The pet owner’s scenario is all the more confounding because in our experience at right:ratio, there is no safety or efficacy bases for mixing several disparate cannabis products for medical benefit in dogs. We suggest to pet owners who may be using CBD Oils (whatever that means in today’s market) that they cease using that product if they desire to use right:ratio for their pet’s medical condition because the interplay of cannabinoids is part of the medicine and we provide a carefully selected ratio of key cannabinoids for the particular condition treated that could potentially be destroyed by the addition of other cannabis products.
Unleash Our Vets to Lead Medical Cannabis for Pets
Veterinarians Should Lead Medical Cannabis for Pets, not Just Prevent Medical Disasters Like this Month’s Example
We have been promoting awareness of the California legal limitations that prevent veterinarians from discussing or recommending medical cannabis, if appropriate, since appearing in front of the Veterinary Medical Board earlier this year. Things are moving as legislation referred to as AB-2215 is now progressing beyond the Appropriations Committee and will hopefully be considered by the entire Assembly.
The cause is gaining momentum and there will be a major publicity announcement soon, but in the mean time, you can write to Ash Kalra’s office, the legislator sponsoring legislation that may lift limits on vets or sign the petition started by Dr. Gary Richter, DVM.
Write Assemblyman Kalra – Click Here
Sign the Petition – Click Here
Pet Insurance and right:ratio
We have verified that there are at least two pet insurance carriers providing coverage for right:ratio. Please email us if you would like more information – info@rightratio.com