Over a Third of Danes Treat Their Dogs with Cannabis

Researchers from the University of Copenhagen conducted a study on the use of cannabis in veterinary medicine and found that more than a third of Danes treat their dogs with cannabis products on their own.

Cannabis Helps Pets with Allergies, Pain, and Other Ailments

The scientists surveyed 2,002 Danish dog owners and discovered that 38% had given their pets cannabis products at least once. Of those, 93% used CBD oil, 9% used CBD cream, 4% used CBD capsules or sprays, and 1% used CBD powder. In terms of cannabinoid content, 91% used products containing only cannabidiol (CBD), 4% used products with THC, and the remaining 5% used products with other cannabinoids.

Dog owners used cannabis to help their pets with the following issues:

• Pain (39% of those who gave their pets cannabis products)
• Behavioral disorders related to anxiety, stress, and phobias (15%)
• Allergies (12%)
• Cancer (7%)
• Seizures (5%)
• Gastrointestinal diseases and skin conditions (3% each)
• Poor appetite (2%)
• Dementia, meningitis, respiratory diseases, pancreatitis, heart disease, weakened immune system, and some other ailments (a total of 4%)

Notably, 10% of dog owners used cannabis for disease prevention or to improve their pets’ overall health. Among those who treated their animals with cannabis, 67% bought cannabinoid products from online stores, 6% purchased them abroad, 3% from herbal medicine sellers, and 2% from regular retail outlets.

Many Dog Owners Are Satisfied with Cannabis

Among Danes who used cannabis for their pets, 48% rated the plant’s healing properties highly, 29% were satisfied with the effects, 18% noticed minor improvements, and 5% saw no positive changes. According to dog owners, cannabis was most effective for:

• Gastrointestinal diseases (80% reported very good results)
• Skin conditions (67%)
• Cancer (54%)
• Seizures (47%)
• Pain (45%)
• Behavioral disorders (38%)
• Allergies (30%)

Researchers Call for More Evidence-Based Studies

Based on the survey results, the study’s authors concluded: “Some dog owners use cannabinoids to treat various ailments in their pets, so it is necessary to create an evidence-based knowledge base on the use of cannabis in animal treatment. We propose conducting double-blind, randomized clinical trials on the use of cannabinoids for different types of pain, allergies, and behavioral regulation in pets.”