GIVE THAT DOG A BOWL

      Before I start writing today's blog, I just want to say that I'm not totally sure how I feel about this yet. If my dog, Yankee, was in a lot of pain and the vet told me that medical marijuana might help ease the pain, I would totally consider it, but part of me feels that pets shouldn't have marijuana in their system because it's a human drug. Maybe the other reason, I wouldn't want to give Yankee marijuana is because I might be tempted to dip into his stash. I mean, would they make a marijuana for pets only? Marijuana is marijuana, right? 

     Anyway, pets might soon be able to use pot under a bill introduced on Tuesday in the Nevada Legislature. Democratic Senator Tick Segerblom (had to be a hippie back in his day with that name.) is sponsoring the bill that would allow animal owners to get marijuana for their pet if a veterinarian certifies the animal has an illness that might be alleviated by the drug. Segerblom said he's concerned that some animals might have the opposite reaction, but in the same breath said, "you don't know until you try, right?"

     Some veterinarians who have given cannabis to sick and dying pets say it has, in fact, relieved symptoms, although the substance hasn't been proven as a painkiller for animals. Los Angeles vet, Doug Kramer told the A.P. (Associated Press) in 2013 that pot helped ease his Siberian Husky's pain during her final weeks, after she had surgery to remove tumors. Kramer said cannabis helped his dog, Nikita, gain weight and live an extra six weeks before she was euthanized. Kramer told A.P., "I grew tired of euthanizing pets when I wasn't doing everything I could to make their lives better. I felt like I was letting them down." After reading this, I have to admit that even though I love marijuana for myself, I would let my little buddy use it in the event that it would prolong his life a little longer with less pain. 

     The proposal is in its earliest stages and faces several legislative hurdles before it could become a law. The pot-for-pets provision of SB372 is part of a larger bill that would overhaul the state's medical marijuana law, removing penalties for drivers who have marijuana in their blood and requiring training for pot-shop owners. Segerblom said that he added the provision after being approached by a constituent.

     Senator Mark Manendo, an animal rights advocate, said he hadn't heard of the practice of giving marijuana to animals and is concerned about their safety using the drug. He said, "That gives me pause. Alcohol is bad, chocolate is bad for dogs." He also said his own dog died in his arms at age 15, and the experience was difficult and emotional, but he doesn't know if he would've given his dog marijuana to ease his pain and prolong his life. I mean, to each his own at this point. I might give it to my dog if it helps ease his pain. My wife might not want to because she might think marijuana might be harmful to him, but then again, she wouldn't want him to suffer either and would want every second he had left to give. She might allow it too. This would be a tough call because I know how it makes me feel and I can't allow my dog to have a better time than me. Only kidding! Like I said, if they pass this bill, it's still up to the owner of the pet if they want to use this treatment or not. No one says you have to. I will say that if we ever have to put Yankee on it, he's going to have to keep an eye on his own stash because daddy is going to be dipping in and I'm not kidding about that!