By Brittany Morgan Williams
Marijuana, like any substance, has its good sides and bad sides. I just learned the other day that people can be allergic to it! I always thought that was what stuck up people who didn’t want to be associated with weed said. Apparently not! But, since weed has become legal, stoned pets have been on the rise, and it’s not always a good thing. Just like humans, pets can take too much of this medicine and get sick or fall asleep. It’s not much in the way of consequences, but when Fluffy doesn’t have any say in the ingestion of it, it’s not the nicest thing to do to them for fun.
It can, however, exponentially increase their quality of life. I have two dear friends who have a Cocker Spaniel with severe epilepsy. The epilepsy was causing hostility, forgetfulness, and physical trauma in this poor pup. He was constantly in and out of the vet’s office, but they couldn’t seem to find any medication to fix the seizures; they were at wit’s end. Finally, an awesome friend of theirs who has a strange obsession with Harry Potter and ghosts (*cough, cough* totally not me *cough cough*), suggested that they try CBD oil. It has been proven to work for humans with epilepsy, so why not with dogs? And it worked! Their dog finally able to be the loving, sweet hearted dog that he is. It was definitely a learning curve to figure out the dosage and how long the effects last, but they’re finally on a comfortable schedule.
Another friend of mine has a Chiweenie named Natalie who hates water. She has tumors all over her tiny body and the vet said there’s nothing they can do for her, especially because she’s so old. One of the few joys Nat Dog seems to get out of life are our smoke breaks together. As soon as that bowl is packed and I’m lighting up, she runs up to me and waits for her ear hits. I always make sure she gets one per ear. And then maybe another one for her nose. Then she sits in my lap and lets me stonily pet her (which is seriously one of the most rad things to do while stoned). Just like with humans, tolerance can be built up, so if you’re just starting to treat your puppy’s affliction, maybe start out with one weed transfer to your pup, or just one drop of oil.
If you ask for my opinion (which I hope you’re at least interested in since this is an opinion piece…), marijuana should be used for various ailments, even in a pet. But, just like with everything, moderation is key. And if your pet gets into your stash and gets ill, call Poison Control or take them to the vet! It’s legal here in Cali anywho, so they won’t snitch!
