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THC, or tetrahydrocannabinol, is one of the most abundant cannabinoids in modern cannabis and is often defined as the “main psychoactive component” of the cannabis plant. THC is the cannabinoid most responsible for the intoxicating effects of cannabis, the reason for its widespread and centuries-long use as a recreational drug, and consequently, the reason for its federally illegal status as a potential drug of abuse.
While these points are widely accepted, they do not negate the fact that THC is also considered an important medicinal cannabinoid by many doctors and scientists. Since the early days of scientific exploration of this plant, a long list of medicinal qualities of THC have been elucidated, and we are still discovering new beneficial uses, ranging from analgesia to anti-cancer effects, as reported in a 2006 research paper published in the journal Medical Hypotheses.
This cannabinoid can have profound effects on any species with an endocannabinoid system (ECS), both human and animal. Its wide-ranging physiological effects are largely the result of its interactions with the ECS’ cannabinoid receptors and other biological systems within the body.
What Does This Mean for Pets? What Does Toxicity Look Like?
Humans and various animal species respond differently to phytocannabinoids, and there is much that is still unknown. What we do know is that the effects observed in pets, especially dogs, are related to the endocannabinoid system and the numbers and locations of the cannabinoid (CB) receptors, especially the CB1 receptor in the brain. We know less about the ECS in cats, but statistically, they are less likely to suffer from intoxications simply because they don’t indiscriminately ingest substances they encounter in the same way dogs often do.
Cannabis is extremely safe for people, as there has never been a reported death due to “overdose” of cannabis in a human being (according to a 1971 study, a person would need to eat approximately ⅓ of their body weight in cannabis for the effects to be fatal). This is due to the location of the CB receptors in the human body and the fact that there are none located in the respiratory control centers of the brain. That is why, as opposed to opioids, cannabinoids do not cause fatal consequences by depressing respiration.
In our pets, there are some differences in the locations of these CB receptors and as a result, differences in the effects of THC on their bodies. An important point for pet parents to understand is that the canine is the species that has the most CB1 receptors in the cerebellum (the area of the brain responsible for balance and coordination), and is consequently, the most sensitive to the effects of THC, according to research published in the journal PLOS ONE.
For this reason, excessive stimulation of these receptors leads to adverse effects relating to functions controlled by this region of the brain.
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