college connection
POLICY
EDUCATING CLIENTS ABOUT CBD, CANNABIS FOR PETS
there are, educate the client about these
risks, recommend necessary monitoring,
and make adjustments to other drug
doses as needed.
continued from the front page
Utilizing informational posters and info boards
in your waiting and exam rooms can help
make your clients feel more comfortable
broaching the subject. (Posters are available
through the CAVCM) Once your clients inform
you that they are using (or planning to use)
a cannabis-based therapy, the next step is
to provide the necessary Harm Reduction
Education.
• Side effects; counsel clients on potential
side effects, how to minimize these
effects, and when to seek emergency
veterinary care (particularly with those
products containing THC).
• Monitoring recommendations - this
can include both at-home monitoring
with the use of a log-book, as well as
recommendations for in-clinic re-
evaluations and monitoring laboratory
work, where appropriate.
• Sharing of Research/published studies
- including the type of product, dosage
used, species and condition studied.
However, one should also caution clients
about the limitations in extrapolating that
data to other products, species, and
conditions.
• Exploring their reason for use; always
ensure that you understand why your
client is choosing to use cannabis.
Understanding their motivation can help
ensure that you have provided other
treatment options and that they are not
discontinuing other vital therapy without
veterinary oversight.
Harm Reduction Education (HRE)
HRE should be implemented any time you
become aware of client-initiated treatment. It
is used to provide education to those clients
that already are, or are considering the use of
cannabis for their pet.
HRE encompasses many facets, and
should always be included in your medical
documentation.
Common topics include:
•
Current legal status of cannabis for pets;
there are currently no cannabis drug
products approved by Health Canada for
animal use, and those sold through the
black market are not regulated to ensure
good production practices, laboratory
analysis, or accurate labeling.
• Type of product they are using (including
the source, cannabinoid profile, terpene
content, and concentration).
• Reading the Label; ensure both you
and the client understand what is in
the product, and the dose that is being
given.
• Assessing the client’s treatment plan; a
veterinarian should be able to assess
the client’s product and dosing plan
and be prepared to intervene if they are
concerned it could pose a risk to their
patient.
•
Drug interactions; ensure that there are
no potential drug interactions and if
The CVO and other provincial regulatory
bodies are continuing to work towards
a better understanding of this uniquely
classified substance so that they can develop
guidance that helps veterinarians to best
serve the public while remaining compliant
within the current legal framework.
The CAVCM will continue to provide support
to veterinarians as required and continues
to work on behalf of the profession to
provide veterinarians with the ability to legally
authorize cannabis use for medical purposes.
For more information, please visit www.cavcm.
com.
College Connection is the official publication
of the College of Veterinarians of Ontario,
informing members on regulatory issues,
with the expectation that members will
govern themselves accordingly. College
Connection is charged with the responsibility
of providing comprehensive, accurate and
defensible information.
Instilling public confidence in veterinary regulation.
College of Veterinarians
of Ontario
2106 Gordon Street
Guelph, Ontario
N1L 1G6
Added information from the CVO
A recent discussion with Health Canada
clarified for the CVO that federal rules
under the Cannabis Act do not prohibit a
veterinarian from advising clients on the use
of legally available recreational cannabis
for their pets. These products do not make
health claims, are not considered drugs,
and are legally obtained by adult Canadian
consumers.
If a veterinarian chooses to advise a client
on a legal product marketed through the
authorized recreational cannabis retail stream,
they are accountable for that professional
advice. This advice can include harm
reduction education. They should weigh the
evidence on cannabis against other available
treatment options and practice within the
scope of their clinical competency. They must
have a veterinarian-client-patient relationship
(VCPR) and obtain informed client consent.
They must also be available in the case of
adverse reactions or failure of the treatment.
To understand their responsibilities, further
guidance for veterinarians is provided on the
CVO website.
Phone: (519) 824-5600
Toll-free: 1-800-424-2856
Fax: (519) 824-6497
Toll-free fax: 1-888-662-9479
[email protected]
www.cvo.org
Editor: Jan Robinson
Assistant to the Editor:
Kim Huson
Publication mail agreement
number: 40583010
www.cvo.org