• Hero Banner
  • ACVCACVC
  • DVM 360
  • Fetch DVM 360Fetch DVM 360
DVM 360
dvm360 | Veterinary News, Veterinarian Insights, Medicine, Pet Care
dvm360 | Veterinary News, Veterinarian Insights, Medicine, Pet Care
By Role
AssociatesOwnersPractice ManagerStudentsTechnicians
Subscriptions
dvm360 Newsletterdvm360 Magazine
News
All News
Association
Breaking News
Education
Equine
FDA
Law & Ethics
Market Trends
Medical
Products
Recalls
Regulatory
Digital Media
dvm360 LIVE!™
Expert Interviews
The Vet Blast Podcast
Medical World News
Pet Connections
The Dilemma Live
Vet Perspectives™
Weekly Newscast
dvm360 Insights™
Publications
All Publications
dvm360
Firstline
Supplements
Top Recommended Veterinary Products
Vetted
Clinical
All Clinical
Anesthesia
Animal Welfare
Behavior
Cardiology
CBD in Pets
Dentistry
Dermatology
Diabetes
Emergency & Critical Care
Endocrinology
Equine Medicine
Exotic Animal Medicine
Feline Medicine
Gastroenterology
Imaging
Infectious Diseases
Integrative Medicine
Nutrition
Oncology
Ophthalmology
Orthopedics
Pain Management
Parasitology
Pharmacy
Surgery
Toxicology
Urology & Nephrology
Virtual Care
Business
All Business
Business & Personal Finance
Buying or Selling a Practice
Hospital Design
Leadership & Personal Growth
Personnel Management
Practice Finances
Practice Operations
Technology
Wellbeing & Lifestyle
Continuing Education
Conferences
Live Conferences
Conference News
Conference Proceedings
Resources
CBD in Pets
Contests
Veterinary Heroes
Partners
Spotlight Series
Team Meeting in a Box
Toolkit
Top Recommended Veterinary Products
Vet to Vet
  • Contact Us
  • Fetch DVM360 Conference
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy
  • Do Not Sell My Information
  • About Us

© 2023 MJH Life Sciences and dvm360 | Veterinary News, Veterinarian Insights, Medicine, Pet Care. All rights reserved.

Advertisement
By Role
  • Associates
  • Owners
  • Practice Manager
  • Students
  • Technicians
Subscriptions
  • dvm360 Newsletter
  • dvm360 Magazine
  • Contact Us
  • Fetch DVM360 Conference
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy
  • Do Not Sell My Information
  • About Us
  • MJHLS Brand Logo

© 2023 MJH Life Sciences™ and dvm360 | Veterinary News, Veterinarian Insights, Medicine, Pet Care. All rights reserved.

ACVC 2019: Veterinarians: Get involved in the cannabidiol conversation

October 15, 2019
dvm360, dvm360 November 2019, Volume 50, Issue 11

Conference News | <b>Atlantic Coast Veterinary Conference (ACVC)</b>

The cannabidiol (CBD) conversation is in full swing in veterinary practices across the country, and its time for veterinarians to chime in.

A recent survey from Colorado State University showed that about 30% of veterinarians are questioned weekly by clients about CBD. And an informal poll of the audience at the opening Veterinary Crossfire session at this year's Atlantic Coast Veterinary Conference (ACVC) showed the vast majority are receiving regular questions about this issue.

But how do you answer questions and advise your veterinary clients on this issue when the use of these products, even in the human world, is mired in legal confusion? The answer, according to the panelists, is very carefully, and it depends on which state you're in.

Charlotte Lacroix, DVM, JD, founder and CEO of Veterinary Business Advisors, and Robert J. Silver, DVM, MS, CVA, chief medical officer of Rx Vitamins for Pets, kicked off the 2019 ACVC with a spirited discussion on the currently confusing world of CBD use in pets.

Drs. Lacroix and Silver agreed in a few areas, including their view of the 2018 federal Farm Bill, which removed hemp from the Controlled Substances Act. That action was designed to to help speed up the commercialization of hemp, but it has led to more states making CBD use legal in humans, primarily when it's used for therapeutic purposes. However, as far as veterinary use goes, CBD as a therapy remains off limits.

Medication or supplement?

Advertisement

Dr. Silver noted that supplements, which are often used to improve overall health, are not approved by the FDA, so veterinarians could consider recommending CBD as a supplement. But Dr. Lacroix cautioned veterinarians about this thinking.

“If there is an adverse event [related to CBD] and it comes back on you as the veterinarian who recommended it therapeutically, you could be facing a medical malpractice lawsuit,” she said, “and you may not have the malpractice insurance needed to protect you.” She added that in most cases CBD is given to pets not to boost overall health but rather for therapeutic purposes, such as to treat anxiety or epilepsy, and this use is not legal.

Dr. Silver countered that the number of adverse reactions related to CBD in animals reported to the National Animal Supplement Council, which has been looking into this complex issue, has been extremely small-about nine in 16 million (mainly gastrointestinal disturbances). And emerging data show that CBD use in animals can have benefits, he noted, citing a Cornell University study demonstrating that dogs with osteoarthritis who were given CBD had noted pain reduction.

Let the research continue

Both panelists agreed that CBD is in an “evolutionary phase” and that more data are needed.

“It's important to have these clinical studies and encourage companies to invest in the research to establish the safety of [CBD],” Dr. Lacroix said. “It's tempting to get on the band wagon and sell it like everyone else … but our decisions are based in science. The FDA is the administrative agency that demonstrates that a product is safe and effective, and until that has been done, I don't think we can promote these products for therapeutic means.”

Dr. Silver echoed Dr. Lacroix's call for more research, adding that “veterinarians are being left out of the conversation.” He urged attendees to talk with their state veterinary associations to become more involved in these conversations, encourage more research, lobby for clearer direction on CBD use and provide further direction on what veterinarians can and cannot discuss with their patients.

download issueDownload Issue: dvm360 November 2019

Related Content:

Atlantic Coast Veterinary Conference (ACVC)AssociatesProductsLeadership & Personal GrowthTechniciansLaw & EthicsOwnersdvm360 November 2019
Locoregional analgesia for pain management in veterinary medicine
Locoregional analgesia for pain management in veterinary medicine
Details of new pet performance supplement line revealed
Details of new pet performance supplement line revealed
Veterinary scene Down Under: DEI advancements, plus title protection and more
Veterinary scene Down Under: DEI advancements, plus title protection and more

Advertisement

Latest News

Locoregional analgesia for pain management in veterinary medicine

Outside toxicology experts can save pets’ lives

Lyon College School of Veterinary Medicine names founding dean

Morris Animal Foundation funds study on environmental toxins and lymphoma

View More Latest News
Advertisement