Veterinary students and scientists in Brazil used cannabis oil to successfully treat a dog with a common skin disease that did not respond to previous treatment. The corresponding study was published in Frontiers in Veterinary Science.
Discoid lupus erythematosus (DLE) is a common autoimmune disease that typically affects the skin on the nose and ears of dogs. It is characterized by inflammation, loss of hair pigment, and redness, which can lead to crusting and ulceration. The condition's underlying cause remains unknown; however, it is thought to arise from a mix of genetics, infections, hormones, and sun exposure. Current treatments include corticosteroids to reduce inflammation; however, these carry a risk of unwanted side effects.
Previous research suggests that cannabinoids cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocnnabidiol (THC) reduce inflammation in both dogs and humans without any detrimental side effects.
In the current case report, a two-year-old female mixed-breed dog with DLE was not responding to corticosteroids and other medications. The researchers thus decided to treat the dog with cannabis oil.
After some experimentation, they found that cannabis oil containing CBD and THC on a ratio of 3:1 worked best. To begin, the dog was given a single drop orally once daily for three days to test for negative reactions. The treatment continued after no negative reactions were reported, and the dosage was slowly adjusted until the minimum effective dose was found. After several weeks, some signs of DLE started to disappear, and after a year, all symptoms were relieved.
"After 1 year, the dog remains clinically stable on a low dose of full-spectrum CBD-rich oil. No evidence of DLE recurrence was observed," wrote the researchers in their paper.
“This case suggests that cannabinoid therapy (CT) may be a viable alternative or complementary therapy for DLE in dogs, particularly for those experiencing adverse effects from conventional treatments. Further research is warranted to confirm the efficacy and safety of CT for DLE management in dogs,” continued the researchers.
Sources: Phys.org, Frontiers in Veterinary Science