Are you at your wits’ end trying to soothe your barking pooch back to silence? According to Robert Jappie, head of the crime and regulatory team of a law firm, there is anecdotal proof that the use of cannabidiol (CBD), a cannabis derivative that is non-psychoactive or does not get the user ‘high,’ can calm barking dogs down.
Photo Credit: Higher Mentality
Working Their Way to Major Changes
Mackrell Turner Garrett, the first firm of solicitors from the UK to set up a ‘cannabis law’ division, is calling for changes in regulations pertaining to the use of cannabis derivatives found in animal products.
Since the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMC), the regulatory body dedicated to animals, acknowledges veterinary products containing cannabidiol as veterinary medicines, they are subjecting them under regulation. Hence, pet companies that endorse CBD products must acquire marketing authorisation for it before the product can be sold in the UK.
However, there are no CBD-infused products that are granted a UK veterinary marketing authorisation as of today. Therefore, none of these products is recommended for veterinary use. The use of an unauthorised CBD product without a prescription from a vet will be considered a violation of the VMC’s Regulation 8.
A veterinary surgeon may only prescribe an authorised human CBD product if it falls in the categories of the VMC’s prescribing cascade. Lastly, companies that supply for human use CBD products, which has fulfilled the requirements made by Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency, are strictly prohibited from indicating or suggesting their products to be used on animals.
The lawyers want to re-examine the current regulations pertaining to drug usage in pet products so that they can build a strong case for the legal use of treats infused with cannabis for barking dogs.
Paving the Way
The firm’s client urged them to recommend the use of CBD in pet products. CBD is considered as a food product for humans, but VMD views it as a medicine for animals. According to Mr Jappie, VMC claims that trials done on CBD has shown to have ‘pharmacological action’ on animals, hence they believe it as a medicine.
The US have cannabis-infused products from shampoos to dog biscuits that help ease pets from the torment of depression, aggression, and social and separation anxieties. The products also promise other benefits for pets.
Mr Jappie acknowledged that since the UK is known to have a multitude of pet owners, many overseas companies will see it as a large market. He says, ‘The manufacturers also genuinely believe in these products. They are pet owners themselves and they have seen first-hand the positive impact of the use of CBD products on animals.’
If Mackrell Turner Garrett accomplishes the mission of paving the way for the use of cannabidiol in different types of pet products, it will provide accessibility for pet owners and maybe even vets in acquiring CBD.
Barking Pets and Cannabinoid’s Effect on Them
Is your dog barking a lot and you can’t figure out why? There are many causes to this behaviour and the most common ones are:
- Wanting Attention
Have you spent enough quality time with your pooch? If the answer is no, then maybe you should go take him out for a walk or have fun playtime activities. Your dog barking might also want to say that you forgot to give him food or water. - Alarmed or Scared
When your pooch is scared, he can resort to excessive barking as a way to communicate his distress. You can distinguish this by the canine’s posture, which will appear stiffer and he will pounce with each bark. - Separation Anxiety
This usually occurs when a dog is left at home alone in the house by its owner. Barking is one of separation anxiety’s symptoms, which also include elimination, destruction of objects, depression, and pacing. - Protective or Territorial
Dogs tend to bark when their territory is trespassed by humans or other animals. It’s their way of warning the unwanted visitors to stay out of their turf. - Boredom
This happens when your pooch is left alone with no one to play or interact with. Therefore, he will take matters into his own hands and entertain himself by barking.
Cannabinoid is a component of hemp, a different subtype of cannabis that has medicinal components without the psychoactive properties of THC that causes a ‘high.’ When administered, CBD mainly affects the endocannabinoid system, which is significant in regulating mood, physiology, and daily experience. Cannabinoid is believed to ease pain, anxiety, and depression.
Therefore, since CBD affects the endocannabinoid receptors of your pooch, then it will help soothe his frazzled nerves. Those that bark out of boredom or out of wanting attention might not feel the effect of the CBD. However, dogs that bark excessively due to separation anxiety and fear can be given cannabinoid-infused treats to calm them down.
