How British Dog Owners Are Using Cannabis Oil to cure anxiety in pets

However, there is a huge array of cannabis products for human consumption in the UK and they are administering their pets – usually without advice from vets.

Canadian vet Dr. Katherine Kramer, from Vancouver Animal Wellness Hospital, first tested CBD on an elderly cat six years ago and is now a wordwide authority on the subject.

She said: 'Some of my boxes have been nothing short of a miracle. An elderly cat, aged 18, who had multiple issues pancreatitis, arthritis, heart disease, kidney disease

'He was miserable and facing euthanasia. However, his owner said he wanted to try CBD, I had not thought of it before and said it was worth a shot because we have nothing to lose.

'Within a few days he was eating, and getting back to his normal self, he ended up living another two years, two good years as well.'

She added: 'There is still a lot of confusion about CBD and pets, and I know a lot about them.

'But please tell your vet first. I tell people the side effects and where to get safe CBD for animals. '

Dr Kramer warned about pet owners mistakenly giving their animals which THC, which gets people and animals high.

She added: 'THC is absolutely toxic to animals, so people have to use the right products, they have to be CBD.'

Dee, who has had two rescue dogs called Garvey and Phoenix, is using health care, helping with anxiety and calming them down.

She said: 'Phoenix, our black Labrador, was a trainer in an Irish puppy farm and she has really bad anxiety. She has no trust in people, especially men, and had half her teeth knocked out at one point.

There are loads of really helpful groups on Facebook about CBD oil and when I started giving up CBD. And with Garvey, weimaraner, he is going through his terrible twos and can be a bit of a pest. CBD calms him down. '

Lee, whose French Bulldog Herbert suffers with a skin condition and is a cure at the various vets across the West Midlands.

He said: 'I kept on going back and forth to different vets for different types of creams and lotions. I did not like all of these chemicals.

'I was told about CBD oil, which I know is natural, and did some research. I give him some drops for his arthritis

'Now I have a very happy Herbert.'

And Carl, who had a heartbreaking battle for several years to prevent his beloved Great Dane Austin living in constant bread, also believes CBD oil works.

He said: 'I would have done anything for Austin, and CBD helped him. He had arthritis and was in bread CBD helped him sleep better and better.

There are several groups for CBD remedies for animals, one of the biggest is 'CBD for dogs and other furry friends' which has more than 5,000 members.

Dog and cat owners ask for advice about the best types of oils and products, but sellers are banned from the group.

A message on the Facebook group makes the legal status clear, saying: 'CBD products in the UK are the subject of the law.

Simply CBD is a charity in the Forest of Dreams which sells oils of organic Dutch high grade cannabis and profits help fund an animal shelter for ill dogs.

Brian Jones, from Simply CBD and K9 Rescue, said: 'I do not have to explain the wonders and benefits of CBD as a supplement. To our age dogs, it has been a lifeline.

'I am also a moderator on numerous very large CBD Facebook forums where CBD is readily available on the health benefits of the oil. This advice is given freely and we hope for a better life.

'The world of CBD in the UK is going through the roof and this is a very wide priced market, from the expensive to the affordable. It is a good seller, especially from a lot of American imports.

No cannabis-based products for animals have been sanctioned by the Veterinary Medicines Directorate and the Home Office as authorized for the use of cannabis-based products.

However, there is a gray area within the law because you can prescribe CBD products to animals. CAN WE FIND ONE THAT DOES THIS FOR HOW?

There are also, unsurprisingly, differing opinions regarding the effectiveness of CBD on pets.

Blogging vet David Harris, from Vet Help Direct, said: 'Increasing numbers of animal owners cannabidiol sourcing a "nutritional supplement" but are using it to treat disease, in some cases apparently without veterinary input.

'This is seen as an issue for animal welfare, because it is a product of the world that has a potent active ingredient.'

He added: 'Unfortunately, the evidence for its effectiveness is still rather weak, with some studies finding very positive results and others struggling to confirm them.

'In animals, there is little evidence of the drug's effectiveness, but it has been suggested that it has a clinical effect.

'Anecdotally, some are reporting great results, but there is always the risk of unconscious bias in these situations, which is why we need well-designed clinical trials and studies.'