HTTP/1.0 200 OK Content-Type: text/html Marijuana For Mutts 
Pubdate: Thu, 26 May 2005
Source: Calgary Herald (CN AB)
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Copyright: 2005 Calgary Herald
Contact:  http://www.canada.com/calgary/calgaryherald/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/66
Author: Ron Chalmers, CanWest News Service

MARIJUANA FOR MUTTS

Cannabis oil helps arthritic dog dig again

Tasha, the gopher-digging Doberman, has overcome arthritis after taking
medical marijuana.

"She's quite a digger," says Tasha's owner, Chick Brownbill of Turner
Valley, in southern Alberta. "That's her recreation."

But all that excavating resulted in chronic soreness in Tasha's front
wrists, causing the dog to limp -- and to stop pursuing those pesky
varmints.

"I don't think she ever got a gopher, but digging was the love of her life,"
Brownbill says.

Nothing helped until his daughter got a bottle of MediPaws cannabis oil from
a local distributor. It's promoted as relieving arthritis in pets -- plus
boosting the immune system and preventing tumours and heart attacks.

The oil is extracted from marijuana that is grown with less than 10 parts
per million of THC -- the mind-altering ingredient.

"We gave it to her and, now, after three weeks, there's no limp at all,"
Brownbill says.

Delivering the oral medication was no problem, he says. "We put it in her
supper, and she eats anything."

Brownbill also gave the oil to Hershey, his chocolate-coloured Labrador
retriever, to help its sore hips.

Brownbill's veterinarian, Ingrid Rozema, says she has not prescribed
MediPaws because the content is unregulated and "there is no scientific data
indicating that marijuana is helpful."

In Edmonton, Pamela Dykes bought MediPaws cannabis oil for Badger, her
English springer spaniel, hoping to ease the arthritis in the dog's back
legs.

After only one week, she hasn't seen any change, but says she will keep
trying for another week or so.

Rozema says she has not seen any harmful effects upon Tasha or Hershey --
but jokes "I wanted to know if it gave them the munchies."

MediPaws is distributed by Med Marijuana Inc. of Halifax.
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