Not so fast. The science isn’t there. Yet

By Kim Campbell Thornton

Andrews McMeel Syndication

We bet you know at least one person who shares his or her stash with a pet. Not to get the animal high, but to relieve anxiety, nausea or pain from cancer or another ailment. But does it really work?

That’s hard to say. Anecdotes aside, no research to date shows any benefit of marijuana for dogs or cats. Only minimal research is available on its effects in humans. That’s because federal law classifies it as a Schedule I drug with no medical usefulness. Regulatory restrictions hamper researchers’ ability to study marijuana’s potential benefits for humans or animals.

In theory, cannabinoids -- the chemical compounds found in marijuana -- carry great promise, says Robin Downing, DVM, a pain management expert and hospital director at the Downing Center for Animal Pain Management in Windsor, Colorado. Dogs and cats possess cannabinoid receptors. Think of them as the “lock” into which cannabinoid molecules fit like keys.

“These are exquisitely specific receptors that do not interact with other molecules,” Dr. Downing says. Unlike THC, cannabinoids are not involved in altered mentation, but they are credited with other actions in the nervous system, such as pain relief and relief of seizure activity.

“This is what gives us hope that medical marijuana will at some point become an important tool in the pain management toolbox,” she says.

That can’t happen, though, until the drug is better understood. Right now, little is known about dosing and delivery of medical marijuana to pets.

The idea of treating pet ailments with marijuana may give rise to the image of coming home to a dog or cat who’s chowing down on Doritos and listening to Bob Marley. The truth is, we don’t know a lot about how pets respond to marijuana because they can’t tell us how they feel.

“For animals, we have no safety data, no efficacy data and no dosing data,” Dr. Downing says.

For example, she says, humans can adjust their doses based on their response to a drug, but animals cannot.

“How do we know what they are feeling? How can we tell when they have received ‘enough’ to create whatever effect we seek for them?”

At veterinary emergency hospitals, marijuana is the number-one intoxicant for pets, especially in states such as California, Colorado and Washington, which have legalized medical and recreational marijuana. A retrospective study published in 2012 looked at cases in two Colorado veterinary hospitals from 2005 to 2010. Researchers found that the incidence of marijuana toxicosis in dogs increased fourfold over the period.

“Our numbers have been increasing for several years,” says veterinary toxicologist Tina Wismer, director of the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center. “Many vets are able to diagnose the typical patient -- wobbly and dribbling urine -- on sight.”

Typical incidents include eating an owner’s baked goods that contain marijuana or THC-laced butter or coconut oil, eating the actual plants or inhaling smoke.

“The edibles are much more dangerous due to the concentration of THC when compared to plant material,” Dr. Wismer says.

Do pets who partake get the munchies? Usually not. Signs of toxicity include glassy eyes, incoordination, dilated pupils and vomiting, usually within an hour or less or ingestion or inhalation.

Because of marijuana’s Schedule I status, veterinarians cannot legally prescribe the drug. That doesn’t mean related products aren’t available, though. Companies sell hemp tinctures, edibles and extracts formulated for pets. While hemp and marijuana are both derived from the Cannabis sativa plant, hemp is defined as containing a concentration of no more than 0.3 percent THC.

Dr. Downing worries about variability in levels of active ingredients and lack of regulation.

“We need formal studies to determine efficacy, safety, application, optimal dosing, side effects and tolerability,” she says. “We need standardized preparations with known content of active ingredients and no contaminants. Unfortunately, we are a long way from being at a place where we can in good conscience recommend marijuana for animals.”

Q&A

The secret behind

feline eye shine

Q: Why do my cat’s eyes glow in the dark? -- via Facebook

A: The ancient Egyptians had a theory about that. They believed that a cat’s eyes reflected the sun, even at night when the solar orb was out of sight. I love that inspiring theory, but modern science has given it a thumbs-down. What we do know is pretty fascinating, though.

Cats have some neat evolutionary adaptations, especially when it comes to their eyesight. They can see in conditions that are more than five times dimmer than what even the sharpest-eyed human needs to spot something in the dark.

A layer of specialized tissue called the tapetum lucidum (Latin for “bright tapestry”) is what sparks that glow. Located behind the retina (the light-sensitive tissue lining the back of the eye), it converts light into electrical impulses that then travel to the brain. The job of the tapetum lucidum is to capture all the light that doesn’t enter the retina directly and reflect it back in, so that even tiny amounts of light are processed. When light strikes your cat’s eyes in a darkened room, you see that glow, also known as "eyeshine."

The tapetum lucidum puts night-vision goggles to shame and is what makes cats such brilliant twilight hunters. Two other factors contribute to the cat’s night eyesight. One is his ability to dilate his pupils (they can become three times the size of the pupil of a human eye!). The other is his large cornea, which is the eye’s outermost lens -- that clear, curved part of the eyeball in front of the pupil. It’s easy to see why a night-roaming mouse had better beware.

Interestingly, cats with green or yellow eyes tend to have a greenish glow, while cats with blue eyes tend to have a reddish glow. -- Dr. Marty Becker

Do you have a pet question? Send it to askpetconnection@gmail.com or visit Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker.

THE BUZZ

The nose knows?

Not about pet health

-- Conventional wisdom says that a dog’s nose should be cool and moist and that a dry nose is a sign of illness. Is your pet’s nose really a barometer of his health? Not necessarily. Veterinarians are more concerned if a dog’s nose is draining. That’s a clue that something may be wrong further inside the nose: an inhaled foreign object, for instance, or an infection. Signs such as sneezing, wheezing or pawing at the nose are better evidence of a problem than whether the nose is dry or moist.

-- Storing your pet’s dry food in the bag is the best way to keep it fresh. Putting it into a metal or plastic container with a tight-fitting lid might seem like a good idea, but those containers must be cleaned regularly to remove the oily film that develops. Once you open a bag, it’s best to use it up within six months or less, even if it has a shelf life of a year. A food with fat levels of 20 percent or higher is likely to go rancid more quickly than foods with lower levels of fat.

-- A cat with a curly coat? Meet the LaPerm, “invented” in 1982 when one kitten in a litter, born bald, began to develop a soft, curly coat, the result of a natural genetic mutation. More kittens were born with the trait, and the owner began to breed them selectively. The LaPerm’s coat comes in many different colors and patterns, including solid, tortoiseshell, tabby and calico. It can be curly or wavy, short or long. The affectionate and curious cats love people and have a reputation for being lap cats. Don’t be surprised if one wants to ride on your shoulder so he can keep tabs on everything that’s going on. -- Dr. Marty Becker, Kim Campbell Thornton and Mikkel Becker

ABOUT PET CONNECTION

Pet Connection is produced by a team of pet-care experts headed by "The Dr. Oz Show" veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker and award-winning journalist Kim Campbell Thornton. They are affiliated with Vetstreet.com and are the authors of many best-selling pet-care books. Joining them is dog trainer and behavior consultant Mikkel Becker. Dr. Becker can be found at Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker or on Twitter at DrMartyBecker. Kim Campbell Thornton is at Facebook.com/KimCampbellThornton and on Twitter at kkcthornton. Mikkel Becker is at Facebook.com/MikkelBecker and on Twitter at MikkelBecker.

Got pet health insurance? It’s a must if you never want to choose between your money and your pet’s life

By Kim Campbell Thornton

Andrews McMeel Syndication

When Tiffany Gere of Butler, New Jersey, was considering getting a new puppy recently, she called her pet health insurance company to ask about the cost of adding a new pet to her policy. The advice she received surprised her.

“They said to purchase (coverage) beforehand and call to activate it two weeks before I brought the puppy home,” she says. “It takes two weeks to go into effect, so that way the first vet visit would be covered.”

If you are planning to get a puppy or kitten soon, a young adult pet, or even a fully grown adult animal, pet health insurance can be a good buy. The uptick in companies offering pet health insurance (there are at least 11) has improved coverage, which in the past was criticized for caps on payouts, exclusions for hereditary or congenital conditions, or poor customer service. Competitive pressure means that companies have a greater variety of plans that meet the different needs of pet owners, from the person who wants emergency coverage only to the one who wants help with everyday expenses such as wellness exams, vaccinations and nail trims.

“When I did the math, it was stupid not to have a policy,” Gere says. “Here, a dental exam is $500 or more.”

Bix, a 15-month-old standard poodle who lives with Janine Adams of St. Louis, Missouri, has had several problems covered in his life so far. He had to have eight baby teeth pulled that didn’t fall out on their own. Then he chipped a couple of permanent teeth, which had to be sealed. He also got neutered, had some ear issues and had surgery for an eye condition called entropion.

“In his first year, we paid $744 in premiums and got back $1,406,” Adams says. “That doesn’t count the entropion surgery, which happened in his second year. We got back 90 percent of the $625 that cost.”

What’s covered can surprise you. One plan pays up to $500 for boarding if an owner is hospitalized for more than 48 hours, and up to $500 for ads and reward offers if a pet goes missing. Other costs that may be covered, depending on the plan, include microchipping, massage therapy, therapeutic diets prescribed by your veterinarian and pet activity monitors.

It’s always a good idea to check your policy to see if an incident is covered. Barbara Saunders of Berkeley, California, had an accident policy on a previous dog. She didn’t realize it covered instances of dogs ingesting foreign objects, and failed to use it on the two occasions when it would have paid off.

Submitting claims is easy in the digital age. There’s an app for that. Snap a photo of the invoice with your phone, and the app does the rest. Even without an app, taking a picture of the bill and emailing it is usually all you need to do. Depending on the company, reimbursement usually shows up in two to four weeks.

Gere decided to wait on getting a puppy, but she’s happy with the coverage she has on her collie, Jake. She pays approximately $100 a month for a wellness plan with a $200 deductible, and has been reimbursed $1,261 in the past year. It has paid for exams, bloodwork, medication, heartworm testing and prevention, flea control, and diagnostics and treatment for a urinary tract infection. If needed, her plan also covers laser therapy and acupuncture.

Concerned about the cost? You may work for a company that offers pet health insurance as a benefit. Some 5,000 employers provide it, including EMC, Hewlett-Packard, IKEA, Levi Strauss, Microsoft, T-Mobile, Xerox and Yahoo.

“What I love is that it takes the money out of veterinary decisions for Bix,” Adams says.

Q&A

Distemper still a

concern in dogs

Q: Does my dog really need a distemper vaccination? Dogs don’t really get that anymore, do they? -- via email

A: Distemper used to be the No. 1 killer of dogs. It may not be as common as it was in the bad old days before a vaccine was developed, but it definitely still exists. So far this year, there have been distemper outbreaks in shelters in California, Tennessee, Maryland and Missouri. My own little QT Pi is a distemper survivor from a shelter.

There’s good reason for distemper being one of the core vaccines all dogs should receive. More than half the adult dogs who get distemper die; in puppies who get the disease, the death rate can be as high as 80 percent. When we see distemper, it’s usually in dogs who haven’t been vaccinated.

Signs of distemper include fever, listlessness, eye and nasal discharge, a dry cough, vomiting, diarrhea and neurological signs. Even if a dog survives distemper, his nervous system and senses of sight, smell and hearing can be irreparably damaged. Some dogs survive distemper but are partially or totally paralyzed. A weakened immune system makes them more susceptible to pneumonia.

Another important reason for vaccinating dogs is that the distemper virus is highly contagious. It’s usually transmitted through contact with an infected dog’s mucus, watery secretions from the eyes or nose, urine or feces. It can also be airborne or carried on the bottoms of shoes. Wild canines such as coyotes or foxes can spread the distemper virus. A healthy but unvaccinated dog can contract distemper without ever coming in physical contact with an infected animal.

Puppies and young adult dogs are most susceptible to infection, but it’s not unheard of for older dogs to become infected. Most cases occur in young puppies who are 2 to 4 months old. The younger they are, the more severe the disease. -- Dr. Marty Becker

Do you have a pet question? Send it to askpetconnection@gmail.com or visit Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker.

THE BUZZ

Three companies

issue food recalls

-- Several pet food manufacturers issued recalls last month. They include Hunk of Beef from Evanger’s Dog & Cat Food of Illinois, possibly contaminated with the drug pentobarbital; Against the Grain Pulled Beef with Gravy Dinner for Dogs from Against the Grain Pet Food, also for potential pentobarbital contamination; and Blue Buffalo Homestyle Recipe Healthy Weight Chicken Dinner with Garden Vegetables, after some of the food was found to contain pieces of metal. Check company websites or call for the lot numbers of affected products. You can return them for a full refund.

-- You’re not imagining things if your dog’s personality seems to mirror your own. Researchers at Austria’s University of Vienna found that dogs not only recognize our emotions, they also tend to share them. In a study published last month in PLOS One, researchers measured heart rate, threat response and cortisol variability -- a measure of the ability to manage stress -- in 132 people and their dogs. People were assessed for personality hallmarks -- neuroticism, extraversion, openness to experience, agreeableness and conscientiousness -- and surveyed about their dogs’ personalities. The results? Relaxed people have relaxed, friendly dogs, while anxious or pessimistic people have dogs who are less able to cope with stress.

-- Jet-setting pets can soon relax in luxury at a new terminal just for them at New York City’s JFK International Airport. Known as The Ark, the completed facility will have a 20,000-square-foot resort for dogs and cats with massage therapy and “pawdicures,” plus a bone-shaped pool for dogs and a jungle gym for cats. A 24-hour veterinary clinic, 48 horse stalls, and an aviary are among the other amenities. Currently, the Equine & Livestock Export Center, Aviary In-Transit Quarantine and Pet Oasis, an animal wellness center, are open for business. The second and third phases open later this year. -- Dr. Marty Becker, Kim Campbell Thornton and Mikkel Becker

ABOUT PET CONNECTION

Pet Connection is produced by a team of pet-care experts headed by “The Dr. Oz Show” veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker and award-winning journalist Kim Campbell Thornton. They are affiliated with Vetstreet.com and are the authors of many best-selling pet-care books. Joining them is dog trainer and behavior consultant Mikkel Becker. Dr. Becker can be found at Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker or on Twitter at DrMartyBecker. Kim Campbell Thornton is at Facebook.com/KimCampbellThornton and on Twitter at kkcthornton. Mikkel Becker is at Facebook.com/MikkelBecker and on Twitter at MikkelBecker.

You don’t have to give up your dog, cat or other pet if you suffer from allergies. Here are some ways to cope

By Kim Campbell Thornton

Andrews McMeel Syndication

My husband’s allergies to our dogs were mild until last year. Now he has developed asthma and has a twice-daily routine of medication and an inhaler.

Allergies. They’re the bane of people who love pets but develop a runny nose, itchy throat and watery eyes in their presence -- or worse, coughing, wheezing and difficulty breathing.

It’s one thing to know from childhood that you’re allergic to dogs, cats or other animals, but when allergies develop later in life, after you’ve built a relationship with members of the animal kingdom, it’s hard to give them up.

The good news is that in many cases, you don’t have to. Medication and environmental changes can help you and your pet live comfortably together. Here are some ways to keep allergy symptoms at bay.

-- Bathe your pet frequently. It’s not fur or hair that causes allergies, but saliva, urine and dander (microscopic dead skin cells). These substances contain proteins that cause allergic reactions, and frequent bathing helps to remove them from fur. Our dogs are bathed weekly, and it helps. Some cats take well to baths, believe it or not, but if yours doesn’t, at least wipe him down with a damp cloth daily.

-- Shower, wash your hair and change your clothes after roughhousing with your dog or cuddling your cat.

-- Keep pets off the bed or out of the bedroom entirely. Reducing the presence of allergens in your sleeping area will help to ensure a good night’s rest. Instead, enjoy your pet’s presence while you’re both awake.

-- Clean often. Use HEPA air purifiers and filtering products. Use a double or microfilter bag in your vacuum. Have a family member wipe down the inside of your car after your pet has been in it, or take it to the car wash.

-- Redecorate. If possible, replace carpeting with hard flooring such as wood or tile. Limit floor coverings to machine-washable throw rugs (and use hot water on them). If you must have carpet, choose one with a low pile, and steam-clean it often. Steam-clean furniture as well. Declutter your home. The fewer items that collect allergens, the better.

-- Avoid being with your pet in small, enclosed areas such as veterinary exam rooms. Veterinarian Kathryn Primm (who is herself allergic to pets) has some clients with allergies who wait in the lobby or outdoors while their pets are being examined. “We have alerts on their charts; ‘client allergic to dogs,’” she says.

-- Consider the type and size of pet. It’s just common sense that a small dog produces less allergens than a big one, but did you know that female cats produce less allergens than males? If you are adding a pet to your family, these are factors to consider. Be aware that there’s no such thing as a hypoallergenic pet. Some animals produce less allergens than others, but it varies by individual. You can’t assume that just because a pet has a certain type of coat or is a certain breed that you won’t react to him.

-- Consult a board-certified allergist. In the bad old days, allergists used to recommend getting rid of pets, but now most of them recognize the importance of the human-animal bond and will help you develop a treatment plan to manage your symptoms. For many people, immunotherapy (allergy shots) is an effective long-term treatment. They helped Elizabeth Tobey, who as a young child was so allergic she couldn’t have pets. “I had a series of allergy shots as a kid, and over time have built up some tolerance through exposure,” she says.

Q&A

Cat’s appetite

loss is worrisome

Q: My cat doesn’t seem very hungry anymore. What could be causing her loss of appetite? -- via email

A: All of us worry when our pets don’t eat. That’s especially true if their normal habit is to chow down with gusto. Pets who don’t eat lose energy, don’t feel good and can develop serious metabolic problems if it goes on for very long.

A lack of appetite can have many causes. It’s often the first sign of illness or, in some cases, the only sign. Cats, as you probably know, are masters at hiding sickness, and not eating may be the only clue they give. So a noticable change in appetite is one of the things you should let your veterinarian know about right away.

Appetite loss can also be a side effect of certain medications or pain from a condition such as dental disease, a mass in the mouth or inflammation of the jaw muscles that pets use to chew. Cats in renal failure often have decreased appetite. Sometimes pets simply don’t like the way their food tastes. Cats are notorious for developing aversions to certain foods.

A poor sense of smell can affect appetite. You’ve probably experienced that when you’ve had a bad cold. If your cat is getting on in years, her sense of smell may not be as good as it used to be. Or she may have an upper respiratory infection that is affecting her ability to smell.

Never assume that your cat will eat when she’s hungry. Just two or three days of not eating can cause your cat -- especially if she is overweight or stressed for some reason -- to develop a serious liver disease called hepatic lipidosis.

If your cat is experiencing decreased appetite, complete lack of appetite or changes in appetite, take her to your veterinarian for a checkup. -- Dr. Marty Becker

Do you have a pet question? Send it to askpetconnection@gmail.com or visit Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker.

THE BUZZ

Cat news

you can use

-- Facts about cats you might not have known: Spayed cats live an average of 3.1 years longer than unspayed cats. Neutered cats live an average of 11.8 years longer than unneutered cats. Kidney disease is seven times more likely in cats than in dogs. The top three things people like about cats are that they like to play, they entertain themselves and they make people smile.

-- Grand champion Lockenhaus' Rumor Has It V Kenlyn became only the second German shepherd dog -- and only the second member of the herding group -- to take best in show at the 2017 Westminster Kennel Club Show. It’s the 39th time a female has won. More Westminster trivia: Irish setters have had the most sporting group placements (54) at Westminster, but have never won BIS. Norwegian elkhounds have won the hound group 11 times, but the breed has never won BIS. A Pekingese has won BIS four times, most recently in 2012. A boxer has won four times, and a Norwich terrier twice.

-- Looking for a good read? The Dog Writers Association of America recently named its best books of 2016. The winners were Laura T. Coffey, Dogwise Best Book Award for “My Old Dog”; Christina Potter, Captain Haggerty Award for Best Training Book for “Insider Training”; Kristin von Kreisler, Best Book -- Fiction, Young Adult or Humor for “Earnest”; Kim Kavin for “The Dog Merchants” and Tracy Libby for “Reporting for Duty” in the Reference Book category; Patti Lawson for “What Happens to Rover When the Marriage Is Over” in the Human-Animal Bond category; Eileen Anderson for “Remember Me? Loving and Caring for a Dog with Canine Cognitive Dysfunction” in the Behavior, Health or General Care category; Pamela Dennison for “You Can Train Your Dog” in the Training category; and Cindy W. Hollingsworth, “Westie Tails,” in the Children’s category. -- Dr. Marty Becker, Kim Campbell Thornton and Mikkel Becker.

ABOUT PET CONNECTION

Pet Connection is produced by a team of pet-care experts headed by "The Dr. Oz Show" veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker and award-winning journalist Kim Campbell Thornton. They are affiliated with Vetstreet.com and are the authors of many best-selling pet-care books. Joining them is dog trainer and behavior consultant Mikkel Becker. Dr. Becker can be found at Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker or on Twitter at DrMartyBecker. Kim Campbell Thornton is at Facebook.com/KimCampbellThornton and on Twitter at kkcthornton. Mikkel Becker is at Facebook.com/MikkelBecker and on Twitter at MikkelBecker.