Pubdate: Sun, 01 Apr 2018
Source: Richmond News (CN BC)
Copyright: 2018, Lower Mainland Publishing Group Inc.
Contact:  http://www.richmond-news.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1244
Author: Sandra Thomas

VET CAN'T IMAGINE PRACTISING TODAY WITHOUT CBD

Veterinarian Katherine Kramer remembers an 18-year-old cat she
recommended be put on hemp-based cannabidoil (CBD).

"It had heart disease and pancreatitis so painful the traditional
amount of pain medication knocked him out and he had no quality of
life," says Kramer, a veterinarian at Vancouver Animal Wellness
Clinic. "So, I contacted the [medicinal marijuana] Compassion Club."

Kramer says with not much to lose, the owner agreed to work together
and very soon the cat was eating and playing again.

"It was nothing short of a miracle," says Kramer.

She adds since then, when a client brings in a senior animal that's
been diagnosed with a disease such as cancer and they've "hit the
wall," she suggests CBD as an option. Kramer says if you had told her
six years ago she'd be recommending medical marijuana to her clients
for their pets, she would have laughed at the absurdity of the idea.
But, one year later, she began working with CBD for use with cats and
dogs. Research shows CBD contains analgesic, anti-inflammatory and
anti-anxiety properties without the psychoactive effects. Kramer says
she's witnessed CBD help animals living with cancer, pain, seizures
and anxiety. Today she's is considered a pioneer in the field of
treating small animals with CBD.

"And now I field calls from vets every day, but on the down low," says
Kramer. "I'm one of the only vets willingly to speak publically about
this. I used to send clients to specialists for advice when I had a
problem and now specialists are calling me. Now I can't imagine
practising without it."

Another case that made Kramer a CBD believer was that of a 12 to
13-year-old golden retriever with a date set to be euthanized. The dog
had cancer and was in a lot of pain so the owners made the sad
decision to euthanize their pet. But before going through with it, and
as a last resort, they brought the dog into Vancouver Animal Wellness
Clinic.

"So I said we can try this and warned the owners there could
potentially be some side effects," says Kramer, who adds the weekend
went by and when she didn't hear from the owners assumed they'd gone
through with their appointment. Curious, Kramer gave them a call the
following Monday. "She told me that within 24 hours [after treatment]
the dog had grabbed its leash and dragged them to Stanley Park for a
walk. They used to walk in Stanley Park every day."

Kramer says the cancer did eventually take its toll, but the owners
had six extra pain-free months with their beloved pet.

Because the College of Veterinarians of B.C. does not allow vets to
legally prescribe CBD, Kramer says she simply makes recommendations.
She also warns that as helpful as CBD can be for some pets, feeding a
cat or dog regular marijuana is very dangerous and can kill them.
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MAP posted-by: Matt