[This post was last updated July 7, 2025]
Ever try to discuss cannabis with your fur baby’s doctor and it seemed like the cat had their tongue? You're not imagining it. Here's why vets often go silent on the topic of animal cannabis and how that's changing.
There are some good reasons for this, which we’ll dig into in this post. We’ll also go over what your vet can help you with when it comes to cannabis for your pet. And we’ll close with some tips on how to open the lines of communication about cannabis with your vet.
If you’d like more foundational information on cannabis for pets, we recommend reading our post CBD for Dogs & Cats [A Guide for Pet Parents].
If the subject on the exam table is cannabis, don’t be surprised if your vet’s inner basenji (a famously “silent” dog breed) takes over.
That’s because veterinarians and cannabis still have a complicated relationship. Many vets are open to discussing cannabis but are understandably cautious. Here are the three biggest reasons why they may hesitate and why that's starting to change.
Even if you live in a cannabis-friendly state where adult-use and medical cannabis are legal, federal law still classifies marijuana as a Schedule I controlled substance. That means vets are prohibited from prescribing, dispensing, or administering marijuana products or even medical marijuana for dogs, cats, and other pets—regardless of local laws (1), (2).
But what about hemp-derived CBD, which contains less than 0.3% THC and is federally legal under the 2018 Farm Bill?
Well—not so fast.
While hemp-derived CBD is technically legal to produce and sell under certain conditions, the FDA has not approved any CBD or hemp products for use in animals. The AVMA (American Veterinary Medical Association) echoes this by advising vets to proceed with caution, noting that human-use cannabis laws do not apply to animals and that using unapproved products could place a veterinarian’s license at risk.
California has emerged as a national leader in veterinary cannabis policy—thanks in large part to advocates like VetCBD, who played a pivotal role in advancing legal protections for both veterinarians and their patients.
The state's progress began with the passage of AB 2215 in 2018. This law was the first of its kind to allow licensed veterinarians to discuss cannabis with pet owners without risking disciplinary action from the Veterinary Medical Board. However, under AB 2215, vets still could not recommend, prescribe, or dispense cannabis products.
That changed on January 1, 2023, when AB 1885 went into effect—making California the first state in the U.S. to explicitly allow veterinarians to recommend cannabis for animal patients. This marked a significant leap forward, empowering vets to take a more active role in guiding clients through safe, plant-based wellness options.
However, the law left one major detail unresolved: the regulation of cannabis products marketed for animal use.
To address this, the California Department of Cannabis Control (DCC) is currently working to finalize a set of rules that will govern:
The DCC is required to complete these rules by July 1, 2025. Until then, veterinarians in California may recommend cannabis in general, but they cannot recommend or dispense specific products unless those products comply with existing adult-use cannabis regulations and are not labeled for animal consumption.
This proposed 1 mg THC cap has drawn concern from many veterinary professionals and pet wellness advocates. Critics warn that such strict limits may render otherwise effective products unusable—or worse, drive pet owners to repurpose human-use cannabis products that may pose serious risks to animals.
To summarize key federal barriers:
In short: Just because you can walk into a pet boutique and by CBD treats doesn't mean your vet is legally or professionally permitted to talk about them in detail. This makes it difficult for pet parents who wonder, "Do vets recommend CBD for dogs?".
Even as state laws evolve, many veterinary boards remain conservative, restricting what vets can say—even in casual conversation. In some states, vets are expressly prohibited from initiating a conversation about cannabis at all.
And because regulatory landscapes shift rapidly, vets have to constantly monitor updates to both federal and state law, even in jurisdictions where cannabis is broadly legal. Until national policy becomes more consistent and comprehensive, most veterinarians will continue walking a tightrope between client demand and legal risk.
Many vets are hoping for a time when they’ll enjoy the same protections as human healthcare providers in cannabis-legal states—freedom to discuss, recommend, and even administer cannabis-based products without risking their license.
Until then, their cautious silence doesn’t necessarily mean they don’t believe in the potential—it often just means the law hasn’t caught up with the science, or with consumer interest in topics like medical marijuana for dogs.
Despite their years of education and clinical training, many veterinarians still don’t feel confident advising clients on cannabis for pets. Surveys consistently show that fewer than half of vets feel comfortable discussing cannabis, especially those newer to practice or working in states with stricter cannabis laws (4).
This hesitance stems from a few key factors:
Although cannabis has a long history of use in traditional medicine, its reemergence in modern veterinary practice is still relatively new—particularly in the U.S. Hemp-derived CBD didn’t hit the mainstream pet market until the 2018 Farm Bill opened the door. And while the products came flooding in, clinical guidelines and legal clarity did not.
This leaves a growing number of pet parents asking questions about cannabis—but many veterinarians feel like they’re playing catch-up, trying to understand new formulations, dosing, safety data, and potential drug interactions on their own.
To make matters more complicated, the legal landscape is constantly shifting. State laws vary widely, and most veterinary boards offer little to no explicit guidance. For some vets, the uncertainty around what they can and can’t say is enough to make them stay silent altogether.
As one vet put it:
“It’s not that I’m unwilling to help—it’s that I’m unsure what help I can legally provide.”
Until veterinary education, federal regulation, and state licensing boards catch up with consumer interest and product availability, many clinicians will continue walking a fine line—motivated to help, but limited in what they can safely say.
Hand-in-paw with the knowledge gap is the lack of rigorous scientific research on cannabis’s safety and effectiveness in animals.
Sure, there are volumes of anecdotal accounts and observational records from pet owners and holistic practitioners, but most veterinarians are trained to rely on evidence-based medicine, and that means peer-reviewed studies, standardized dosing protocols, and clear safety margins.
The problem? That kind of gold-standard data is still in short supply.
Organizations like the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) and many state licensing boards remain cautious—and understandably so. Without FDA approval or robust clinical trial data, recommending cannabis for animals feels like walking into a legal and medical gray zone.
Although early studies, such as those exploring the effects of CBD on dogs with osteoarthritis or seizure disorders, show encouraging signs, the research is still in its early stages. We’re talking puppy years, not full-grown guidelines (6).
To help bridge this gap, the FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) issued a Request for Information (RFI) on January 16, 2025. The agency invited veterinarians, researchers, and stakeholders to submit real-world data and insights through April 16, 2025 (7).
The goal? To gather information on:
This marks a pivotal step toward regulatory clarity and future evidence-based guidance—but it's only the beginning.
The federal prohibition of cannabis continues to hamper progress. Despite growing public interest and state-level legalization, researchers still face obstacles ranging from funding limitations and sourcing restrictions to lengthy review processes for study approval.
As long as cannabis remains a Schedule I drug, veterinary cannabis research will remain constrained, slow-moving, and fragmented. Until that changes, vets will be left navigating a landscape where consumer demand far outpaces scientific consensus.
For now, most veterinarians are waiting—waiting for stronger data, clearer laws, and clinical consensus. But things are changing. As more studies are completed and regulatory agencies like the FDA begin to take a more active role, the fog is lifting.
Veterinarians—and the pet parents they serve—deserve evidence-backed answers. The more we learn through properly conducted studies, the better positioned vets will be to offer safe, effective, and informed guidance on cannabis in animal care.
When it comes to cannabis and your pet, it’s important to understand the critical distinction between a veterinarian discussing cannabis and recommending or prescribing it.
Even in states where vets are allowed to talk about cannabis, they’re often still prohibited from recommending or prescribing CBD, THC, or any cannabinoid product for animals. Doing so could put them in a legal doghouse—risking their professional license or violating state veterinary board policies (8).
And then there’s the expertise factor. Many vets genuinely want to help, but if they haven’t received adequate training in cannabinoid medicine or animal cannabis dosing, they may choose to err on the side of caution. Your veterinarian is likely deeply invested in your pet’s health—and doesn’t want to provide incomplete or potentially harmful advice.
That said, in some states and under certain conditions, your vet may still be able to:
Here’s the exception: extra-label (off-label) prescribing of FDA-approved human drugs. This is a long-standing and accepted practice in veterinary medicine. As long as a medication isn’t explicitly restricted and the vet can justify its use, they may prescribe it to an animal patient—even if it wasn’t originally intended for veterinary use (9).
That includes Epidiolex, the only FDA-approved CBD medication (approved for treating certain seizure disorders in humans). Because there are currently no restrictions on its veterinary use, some vets may consider prescribing it for pets with seizure conditions—especially when traditional therapies fall short.
The FDA has also approved three synthetic cannabis-based medications for human use (10).
These drugs are prescription-only for humans and not approved for animal use. While off-label use is theoretically possible, there’s very limited veterinary research on their safety or effectiveness in pets.
In fact, at least one study suggests nabilone may be toxic to dogs, raising serious safety concerns about applying human data to animal care without robust research (11).
While some legal pathways for cannabis-related treatment exist—such as off-label prescribing of Epidiolex—most veterinarians are still legally barred from recommending or prescribing the vast majority of cannabis products marketed for pets.
So if your vet avoids making product suggestions or firm recommendations, it’s not a lack of compassion—it’s a reflection of current laws, ethics, and clinical caution.
Despite the legal limitations, you can—and often should—bring up cannabis with your vet. If your pet is facing health challenges where conventional medicine has fallen short, or you believe cannabis could help support their wellness, starting the conversation is key.
A quick consult may help you:
Even if your vet can't recommend or prescribe cannabis, they may still be able to flag safety concerns or point you toward credible resources. Despite legal limitations on cannabis conversations, you can and should still broach the subject with your vet.
It’s important to understand that your vet’s silence doesn’t mean they don’t care. Their ability to talk about cannabis is often restricted by:
Take dosing, for example. Safe and effective use of cannabis products in pets depends on species-specific factors, including how the endocannabinoid system (ECS) functions—which is different from humans. Yet many vets aren’t trained on this system, and laws in some states prevent them from offering even general guidance.
As a result, your vet may want to help—but legally, their hands (and tongues) might be tied.
Want to have a productive and respectful conversation about cannabis? Here’s how to tee it up in a constructive manner:
These steps can help create a dialogue that’s collaborative and legally safe—for both you and your vet.
If your vet is legally allowed to discuss cannabis but chooses not to—due to personal beliefs, liability concerns, or limited knowledge—you still have options.
You’re not stuck.
You have every right to:
Plenty of vets across the U.S. and internationally are now comfortable talking about cannabis and exploring complementary therapies, especially in states where laws are clearer and continuing education is available.
Your vet may not be able—or willing—to talk about cannabis. But that doesn’t mean you’re at a dead end. With preparation, persistence, and the right resources, you can still find the support you need to make informed, thoughtful decisions for your pet’s health.
Cannabis may offer potential wellness benefits for pets-but your vet might not be eager to chat about it. Their silence isn’t necessarily a sign of disapproval. More often, it’s about navigating complex laws, knowledge gaps, and professional risk.
Your vet may not readily discuss cannabis due to one (or more!) of the following reasons:
Veterinary medicine is also shaped by federal oversight. Both the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) regulate the use of drugs, biologics, and supplements in animals.
Currently:
That said, the landscape is shifting.
Even if your vet isn’t comfortable making product suggestions, you still have the right to ask questions and advocate for your pet’s health. Many vets—while restricted—can still point you toward reputable sources, help assess potential interactions with medications, or refer you to colleagues with more cannabinoid experience.
And if your vet simply isn’t open to the discussion? You’re not out of options. Many holistic, integrative, or cannabis-educated veterinarians are willing to engage in a thoughtful dialogue about plant-based therapies.
Here’s why 2025 may be a turning point:
With so many pet parents exploring cannabis for their animals' comfort and care, it’s crucial that veterinarians be empowered to support them—without risking their license.
If you believe vets should be allowed to openly discuss cannabis options, consider reaching out to your state and federal legislators. Advocate for clear, consistent, and science-informed policies that give vets the freedom to speak responsibly and protectively about plant-based therapies.
As laws change and our understanding of how cannabis may help animals grows, it’s quite paw-ssible that vets will enjoy more freedom and confidence to talk about and recommend cannabis — and maybe even formulate awesome products — in the future.
The three biggest reasons are: legal confusion, lack of knowledge and training, and desire for more study/clinical evidence of cannabis’s safety and efficacy in animals.
Veterinarians can generally prescribe any FDA-approved human drug, such as Epidiolex, for extra-label use in animals. However, they cannot sell or recommend unapproved hemp products.
This is a judgment call you have to make for yourself, based on due diligence and anecdotal wisdom. Assess your pet’s situation, do some research to see if cannabis might help with your pet’s issues, and consult your vet. There's still no FDA-approved cannabis pet drug, but research is advancing, and regulatory protections are evolving, especially in California.
Vets may suggest prescription meds, supplements like L-theanine, and calming pheromone diffusers. These options are well-studied and widely accepted for pet anxiety.
Yes. CBD is a non-intoxicating compound typically derived from hemp, while “weed for pets” may imply THC exposure—which is potentially toxic. Always read product labels and avoid human cannabis edibles.
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