FORT COLLINS, CO–Researchers at Colorado State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital are currently accepting subjects for a study of CBD oil treatment for dogs with epilepsy.
Cannabidiol, better known as CBD, has been shown to have effective anti-seizure properties; in late June, the first cannabis-derived medication, Epidiolex, received U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval for treatment of two forms of severe pediatric epilepsy.
Dr. Stephanie McGrath, lead researcher of the CSU-VTH study and a specialist in veterinary neurology, cited the FDA approval of Epidiolex for inspiring a study for CBD efficacy in epileptic dogs, in an interview with local news station CBS4 Denver.
Colorado-based CBD pet product manufacturer Applied Basic Science is supplying the CBD oil formulation being used in the study.
“There certainly is a lot of interest with pet owners, with local vets, with family vets, and a lot of specialists across the county,” McGrath told the station. She also pointed out that conventional front line treatment medication for epilepsy in dogs is phenobarbital and potassium bromide; both are powerful sedatives.
The study will be McGrath’s second researching CBD’s potential benefits for epileptic dogs, and one goal of the study will be to explore appropriate dosage for dogs.
Sixty dogs will be enrolled in the study. Study subjects would be required to submit to a preliminary MRI and spinal tap. If accepted to the double-blind study, the dog would then be on a 12-week schedule of medication or placebo, then alternate to either medication or placebo for another 12 weeks. The owner would be required to keep a seizure log over the total of 24 weeks.
Though no conclusive results have been determined, one pet owner whose dog is participating in the study reported fewer seizures for her dog after several weeks of receiving CBD oil treatment, according to the local news report.
Interested parties can contact [email protected], or call (970) 305-0455.
