Bark N Wag 15 Minute Vet Talk

Cannabis (Marijuana) Intoxication in Cats and Dogs By Rania Gollakner, BS, DVM; Lynn Buzhardt, DVM    Care & Wellness, Emergency Situations, Pet Services Marijuana (or cannabis) refers to the dried parts of the Cannabis plant. Cannabis has been used since 500 BC as an herbal medicine, and for products such as rope, textiles, and paper. Today, cannabis is primarily used for medicinal or recreational purposes. Cannabis can be smoked like a cigarette, inhaled via vaporizers, or ingested via food and drink. Cannabis contains more than 100 different chemicals (or compounds) called cannabinoids. Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is the cannabinoid that has the most psychoactive effects. It is also the compound responsible for some of cannabis’ medicinal uses, such as treating nausea and improving appetite in cancer patients. Other compounds, such as cannabidiol (CBD), have shown promise for medicinal use and do not have psychoactive effects. "The increased accessibility to the drug has led to an increase in acc