The use of cannabinoids in animals and therapeutic implications for veterinary medicine: a review

Cannabinoids/medical marijuana and their possible therapeutic use have received increased attention in human medicine during the last years. This increased attention is also an issue for veterinarians because particularly companion animal owners now show an increased interest in the use of these compounds in veterinary medicine. This review sets out to comprehensively summarise well known facts concerning properties of cannabinoids, their mechanisms of action, role of cannabinoid receptors and their classification. It outlines the main pharmacological effects of cannabinoids in laboratory rodents and it also discusses examples of possible beneficial use in other animal species (ferrets, cats, dogs, monkeys) that have been reported in the scientific literature. Finally, the article deals with the prospective use of cannabinoids in veterinary medicine. We have not intended to review the topic of cannabinoids in an exhaustive manner; rather, our aim was to provide both the scientific community and clinical veterinarians with a brief, concise and understandable overview of the use of cannabinoids in veterinary medicine.