An email this week from a new client highlights the importance of custom dosing for each animal. The goal is to reach that dog or cat’s therapeutic range safely and economically. The client wrote:
“Wanted to check in with you because I am having a bit of concern. Before we started right ratio Maya had been getting CBD treats made by [name omitted]. One treat twice a day. Each treat contains 7.5 mg of CBD per treat according to the package. I stopped those and started as you prescribed. She can hardly walk again.” Judi J., 8.12.18
After reviewing Maya’s file and calculating the number of days the client had had to use right:ratio and titrate towards Maya’s therapeutic range, we responded that Maya had likely yet to approximate her unique dose that would alleviate the conditions at issue at that time.
Less than two days later, Judi wrote and said: “Thank you. Doing the 0.4ml and she is doing much better. Will keep you posted. Not rushing it.” In other words, Maya had not reached her own therapeutic range for the moment in time.
Last month we looked closely at two aspects of using medical cannabis successfully for your pet: 1) the importance of the biphasic effect; and 2) the impact of tolerance on proper dosing. What these two tools do is help us zero in on the pet’s “therapeutic range” which can be best described as the optimal amount of cannabinoids delivered at a particular point in time, for the disease or condition and the particular pet concerned.
Moving Target?
In our experience, it is true that each pet has their own therapeutic range and that that range may shift over time, especially in younger dogs and, to a lesser degree, cats. Our data repeatedly shows that pets battling cancer have a moving therapeutic range over extended periods of time.
This makes sense in light of the impact of tolerance, as discussed in last month’s blog. In fact, we have a small group of pets battling cancer that have been on right:ratio for over 6 months and whose tolerances have increased incrementally.
These are our super dogs and cats, all of whom are well above baseline THCd-9 amounts in excess of human newbie levels (5 mg). They are mostly asymptomatic, non-dysphoric and in extremely good health.
For example, we have been treating a nine year old Pit Bull with osteosarcoma for over 6 months, who has lost a leg to cancer, and her therapeutic range is very high. As of this week, her owner wrote:
“Well our Lil Lady will make it to her 10th Bday this upcoming Sunday, 8/19!! In large part thanks to you and Right:Ratio. She’s been off all herbs and chemo meds now for nearly 6 weeks. Just Right:Ratio and her pain meds Gabapentin.
Update: Harper is now on right:ratio 4x daily at [0.4] mL. She is truly pain free, eating and enjoying these final weeks in amazing shape! We saw [her vet] last Saturday and she too was amazed and happy our girl is stable & happy.” Claudia B., 8/15/18
Harper’s therapeutic range has shifted over time as her tolerance has increased so we reformulate her custom right:ratio periodically to allow the owner to resume dosing at lower amounts of product. So “0.4 mL” as of 8/15/18 is multiple times stronger than 0.4 mL was six months ago. That is because Harper’s therapeutic range keeps moving, which we can track and address with our custom formulation software.
