Medical marijuana may be used to treat pets for several reasons with immense therapeutic effects, but so far its use on pets is largely unstudied.
Here are four uses where medical marijuana may benefit your furry friend, but talk with your veterinarian before administering it.
Latest: Tell Us About Your Pets! Which Do You Have?
1. Controlling pain and adding quality of life
Miles, a 12-year-old dog suffering from a terminal tumor, found pain relief with medical marijuana, his
owner told the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association. She said the original pain medication made Miles just lie around, but with the marijuana, he was running, eating, and enjoying his last days. "I'm just really grateful we found this," she told the JAVMA.
One product, Companion Cannabis, can be spread on bread or cheese, a
dispensary manager in California told The Associated Press, and may help aging dogs suffering joint issues and other age-related issues get around easier in the later years.
2. Stemming nausea and stimulating appetite
Dr. Doug Kramer, a Los Angeles vet and medical marijuana proponent, told The Associated Press that giving his elderly dog Nikita medical marijuana helped her in her later years to regain her appetite after bouts with nausea and pain.
Urgent: Should Marijuana Be Legalized in All States?
3. Reducing anxiety
Whether it's Fourth of July fireworks or just separation anxiety, marijuana may help pets relax. Treat-ibles founder Julianna Carella
told HuffPost Live her company's cannabidiol-infused treats can "generally give a dog just a calm feeling."
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.