A study published today by Veterinary Research Communications found that a full-spectrum cannabis oil containing CBD and THC reduced anesthetic requirements in female dogs undergoing mastectomy and ovariohysterectomy. The study was conducted by researchers from the Federal University of Bahia in Brazil.

The study included 20 female dogs with mammary neoplasia, a type of tumor affecting the mammary glands. The dogs were randomly assigned to receive either full-spectrum cannabis oil or a placebo before surgery. The cannabis oil contained 10 mg/mL of CBD and 6 mg/mL of THC, with dogs receiving treatment twice daily for seven days before surgery, followed by a larger dose one hour before premedication.

Researchers found that dogs given the cannabis oil required substantially less propofol to induce anesthesia, needing 2.33 mg/kg compared to 5.98 mg/kg in the placebo group. The treated dogs also required lower concentrations of sevoflurane, the inhaled anesthetic used to maintain anesthesia during surgery. According to the study, the reduction in propofol represented a 61% anesthetic-sparing effect.

Dogs in the cannabis oil group also showed higher sedation scores at 40 and 60 minutes after administration, while there were no significant differences between groups in catheterization, intubation or adverse effects. Fewer dogs in the cannabis oil group required rescue analgesia during surgery, although that difference was not statistically significant.

“No adverse events were reported during at-home treatment administration or during the immediate post-anesthetic period,” the researchers stated.

Researchers concluded that preoperative use of the CBD/THC oil produced sedative effects and reduced anesthetic requirements without clinical complications. They said the findings support the potential use of cannabinoids as adjuvants in multimodal anesthesia in veterinary medicine, while noting that larger studies are needed to better assess long-term recovery, postoperative pain and use in larger dogs.