CBD has been a hot topic in the United States for some time now. It’s used to treat everything from anxiety and depression to chronic pain and post-traumatic stress disorder. In recent years, it has begun to gain traction as a treatment option for pets with seizures, cancer, arthritis, and more. CBD is already being used by many pet owners who swear by its effects on their animals’ health and well-being – but what does science say? Continue Reading To Learn More!
CBD: A Basic Understanding
In Order to understand why CBD should be in the discussion for veterinary medicine, we first need to understand what it is. CBD, or Cannabidiol, is a chemical compound that can be found in the cannabis Sativa plant (marijuana). It’s different from THC, which is the psychoactive component of marijuana and gets users high when ingested. CBD does not contain any of the psychoactive components found in THC, meaning it doesn’t make you feel “stoned”.
CBD has been gaining notoriety recently because research indicates that may be used to treat a variety of ailments. It’s even being researched as an effective treatment for some types of epilepsy. In humans and animals alike, CBD can have significant effects on anxiety, pain management, inflammation reduction, and more. In veterinary medicine specifically, CBD is often suggested as a way to manage chronic conditions.
The Legality Of CBD Use In Veterinary Medicine
One of the biggest hurdles in veterinary medicine is becoming familiar with and using treatments that are considered “alternative”. Some vets may be hesitant to recommend CBD because it hasn’t been thoroughly researched yet. However, there has already been at least one study conducted on animals regarding the effects of CBD . It was published by Cornell University’s College or Veterinary Medicine which concluded that dogs who were treated with CBD experienced a reduction in pain associated with arthritis, as well as increased mobility after treatment.
Pain Medication Market
The pain medication market is a lucrative one. In 2011, it was estimated that the global pain management drug market would be worth $83 billion by 2018 . As of 2016, an annual report from Transparency Market Research projected this number to grow as high as 140 billion dollars in 2020 thanks largely to aging populations and emerging markets such as China. Annual sales for veterinary pharmaceuticals also grew from just over three billion dollars in 2010 to almost five and a half by 2015 .
This growth shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon. However, vets are limited to prescribing only FDA-approved drugs within their practices. Enter CBD: effective , natural , safe…and not currently FDA-approved for use with animals or humans.
Pain:
One of the primary reasons to use CBD is for pain management. A review published by Nature Reviews in 2015 found that cannabinoids are effective at treating both chronic and acute pain . Researchers even discovered ways it can be used as an anti-inflammatory, therefore reducing swelling associated with injuries or arthritis.
