Casara Andre is stuck between a rock and a hard place. In fact, so are all of her clients and some of her colleagues. The owner of Scheduled Relief veterinary clinic and a practicing veterinarian, Andre thinks cannabis products have medical benefits for pets, but she can’t legally recommend cannabis for her furry patients, and there’s little published research on the benefits of cannabis for animals to support her beliefs.

“Anecdotally, we have pet owners who say ‘I tried it, and it helps,’” Andre says. She’s seen cannabis used in hospice pet care as an anti-inflammatory, and to help in reducing anxiety – but as with humans, there are no one-size-fits-all recommendations, she notes.

In any case, marijuana’s federal status as a Schedule I substance prevents her from legally recommending the plant to pet owners. And because no peer-reviewed scientific research on the medical benefits of cannabis for companion animals has been published, all of her advice is phrased as “harm reduction,” meaning pet owners must decide independently to use cannabis on their animals. She also must be clear that all of her guidance is anecdotally informed and is not offered as sound medical advice.

Interest and legitimacy for veterinary cannabis is beginning to flower, however, so Andre wants to bring pot-friendly pet parents and industry experts together to share in the scant knowledge that does exist. “Our clients ask us about this all the time, regardless of what camp they’re in,” she says. “Either they want to use it in their animals or they’re totally against it, but they’re always asking us, as veterinarians, what our opinion is.” [Read more at Westword]