Cannabis Good for Dogs: How Cannabis Has Transformed the Lives of Pets
Veterinarian Maíra Meira shares how medicinal cannabis transformed the lives of dogs with chronic pain and behavioral disorders, like Luke and Theodoro, offering well-being and relief without the side effects of traditional medications.
Published on 07/24/2025
Calmer Dogs, Happier Guardians: The Effects of Cannabis on Pets | Photo: Personal Archive
There is pain that doesn't bark but begs for relief in the silence of a gaze. There is care that isn't taught in manuals but pulses in the exchange between guardians and their four-legged children.
It was in this space between science and affection that medicinal cannabis found its place in the routine of veterinarian Maíra Meira, and in the lives of dogs like Luke and Theodoro, who now run more freely, without pain, without fear, with wagging tails and peaceful hearts.
When Pain Persists, Nature Responds
It was in 2021 that veterinarian Maíra Meira, a specialist in acupuncture and phytotherapy, began to look at cannabis as a therapeutic tool.
“I have many patients with chronic pain and saw the results in human medicine. I took a general course, then one focused on veterinary prescription, and gained courage,” she recalls. The final push came with a husky, her first cannabis patient, who had undergone surgery and still couldn't walk. “Cannabis transformed this case and my practice,” she says.
Luke and Theodoro: Less Pain, More Life
In Adriana Sougey's home, Luke, almost eight years old, is a guard dog raised like a child. “He had several hernias and started licking his paws until they were injured. When we started with cannabis, he stopped in the first week.” The change restored quality of life to the pet and also to the family. “Seeing him suffer made me anxious. Cannabis brought peace,” she reports.
Theodoro, on the other hand, came by chance: rescued from the streets, he was taken in by Álvaro. “He used to bite his tail a lot. We thought it was cauda equina syndrome. With cannabis, the crises decreased significantly. Today, they almost don't appear,” the guardian noted.
For Maíra, cannabis entered where pharmaceuticals failed. “Most of my patients have arthritis, herniated discs, dysplasia, epilepsy, cognitive dysfunction. Many no longer responded to conventional treatments. And with cannabis, we managed to control the symptoms without the side effects of synthetic drugs,” she comments.
She also reports advances in behavioral cases, such as aggression, anxiety, and reactivity. “Dogs that didn't improve with management changes started living more lightly. The plant regulates the body and mind,” she reflects.
Prescription with Criteria and Continuous Care
Maíra analyzes each patient individually: main complaint, age, history, exams. The dosage is adjusted with close monitoring, especially at the beginning. “I conduct in-person consultations every six months and laboratory tests to monitor continuous use. What I see is that, unlike traditional drugs, cannabis helps regulate the body.”
Although there is still resistance in some circles, Maíra states that her guardians arrive with openness and interest. “Here in Greater Recife, I see a growing demand. Many already arrive saying: ‘I want to try cannabis on my pet’. The acceptance is immediate.”
A Wagging Tail as a Response
The cases of Luke and Theodoro are just two among many. But they represent what cannabis has provided to dogs and cats: dignity in treatment, relief without suffering, and well-being without side effects. In the calm gaze of these animals, Maíra finds confirmation that she is on the right path. And the guardians, finally, breathe with calmer hearts with the certainty that “Cannabis is Good for Dogs.”
