Cannabidiol, more widely known as CBD, has been making strides within the pharmaceutical industry for nearly a decade now. This molecule is derived from marijuana, and is one of many active cannabinoids that cause the overall effect of that drug. CBD users have given anecdotes that it has helped to treat anxiety and chronic pain, but there isn't enough research to prove whether it is effective at doing this long term. Studies have shown that the drug is an effective anti-inflammatory agent, reducing the amount of pro-inflammatory cytokines produced in the body. Because of this, many companies have taken to extracting CBD and selling it for medical use among humans. However, there has been research for CBD's use among cats and dogs, which has proven that it can help calm them when anxious and help manage pain. After common use was found safe and effective among house pets, some veterinarians decided to move onto more exotic species.
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| CBD molecule from https://aquasolrx.com/cbd-101/ |
Dr. Quetzalli Hernández, a veterinarian at a wildlife park in Mexico, was faced with a big problem. She was caring for an elephant that was refusing to eat. This particular elephant, Nidia, had developed chronic foot pain; a frequent problem among her species in captivity. This pain seemed to have lowered her hunger, and she was rapidly losing weight. As a culmination of all of this, she was often in the worst mood of her fellow elephants. Dr. Hernández was getting desperate for a solution. She reached out to ICAN Vets, a company that studies the applications of cannabis in the veterinary field, asking for help treating Nidia with CBD.
Despite using a very low dose, about one fortieth the dose often prescribed to cats and dogs when compared by weight, the drug was a major success in helping the elephant. Within just a few days of beginning treatment, Nidia was back to eating whole meals again. This led to her gaining 555 pounds in a span of five weeks. Her foot injuries had begun to heal as well. This is likely in part due to CBD's anti-inflammatory qualities. After about a week of treatment, Dr. Hernández noticed that Nidia was in a much better mood than she used to be.
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| A dog very excited for their CBD dose. |
The craziest thing about this story is that it's one of many in the veterinary field these days. Many desperate veterinarians are turning to CBD and finding out that it works wonders. This isn't just in Mexico either; many vets in California and Colombia are adopting a wider use of CBD. Capybaras, parrots, jaguars, ferrets, lions, bears; you name it, they've tried it. Overall, they've seen a resounding success in controlling inflammation, pain, and osteoarthritis. CBD was also able to increase the efficacy of treatments that the animals were already undergoing, like cancer therapy. These kinds of positive results around the globe show a positive future for the use of CBD among animals of all kinds, and it seems like they'll be all the better for it.
References:
Atalay, S., Jarocka-Karpowicz, I., & Skrzydlewska, E. (2019, November 25). Antioxidative and Anti-Inflammatory Properties of Cannabidiol. National Library of Medicine. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7023045/#:~:text=Therefore%2C%20it%20has%20been%20suggested,of%20immune%20cells%20%5B66%5D.
Nuwer, R. (2024, February 6). Mammals with the munchies: Curing animals with cannabis. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/06/science/animals-veterinary-cannabis-marijuana-cbd.html
Riney, R. P. (2024, January 19). CBD: What you need to know about its uses and efficacy. Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine. https://www.vet.cornell.edu/departments/riney-canine-health-center/canine-health-information/cbd-what-you-need-know-about-its-uses-and-efficacy
Wikimedia Foundation. (2024, February 14). Cannabidiol. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cannabidiol
Your title is catchy and your graphic is appealing. It probably makes sense to lead off with an introduction to marijuana and CBD, but the elephant story would draw readers in. Your summaries are concise and readable. There is an opportunity here to put in a word for the scientific method. Much of the media coverage of uses of mariuana and CBD seem to rely on anecdotal evidence. Indications of veterinary uses suggests the possibility of more systematic studies. Systematic studies are probably easier with animals than with humans. With this kind of summary it is probably a good idea to mention the source in the text. Overall an effective and well-written post.
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