Pet Parents Are Turning To Cannabis To Treat Sick Animals

Although the use of medical marijuana is still somewhat controversial, people have still turned to the alternative medicine for health benefits that have aided in treating chemotherapy-related sickness and multiple sclerosis muscle spasticity, according to Harvard. However, some pet owners are capitalizing on its health benefits and turning to medical marijuana for their four-legged friends.

More companies are starting to market their pet cannabis products to treat animal ailments from arthritis to seizures, The Associated Press reported.

One pet owner in San Francisco, Barbara Stein, has used cannabis tinctures to help treat anxiety and digestive issues in her 13-year-old cat, Willie, and for her other cat, Prudence, who has cancer. Stein told AP that she got a medical marijuana card to continue treating her cats.

"All I know is that none of the traditional medications she got from the vet worked, but the cannabis did," Stein said. "I swear by the stuff."

Medical marijuana is currently legalized in 28 states, but still remains illegal under federal law, which limits extensive research on its health benefits. Because of this, it is also illegal for veterinarians to prescribe or recommend cannabis.

Karl Jandrey, a veterinarian and professor at the University of California, Davis, told AP that he tells his clients they can use pet cannabis products "at their own risk, with the potential to spend money for no improvement, or a risk of adverse side effects."