Evidence map›Paper›PMID 33769105›Full record

ArticleJournal of feline medicine and surgery2021

Safety and tolerability of escalating cannabinoid doses in healthy cats.

Justyna E Kulpa, Lina J Paulionis, Graham Ml Eglit, Dana M Vaughn

Open access · hybridAbstract readRandomized Controlled Trial, Veterinary
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of feline medicine and surgery, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 22 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
22citing papers in PubMed, 2 pooled it
4.5field-weighted citation impact, top 5% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

22 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 38 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
  3. Article
  4. Cats and cannabinoids: past, present and future.Journal of feline medicine and surgery · 2025
    Review
  5. Article
  6. Article
  7. Review
  8. Review
  9. The Canadian veterinary journal = La revue veterinaire canadienne · 2024
    Review
  10. Article
  11. Article
  12. Neuropathic pain in cats: Mechanisms and multimodal management.Journal of feline medicine and surgery · 2024
    Review
  13. Article
  14. Article
  15. Pharmacokinetic of two oral doses of a 1:20 THC:CBDFrontiers in veterinary science · 2024
    Article
  16. Article
  17. Article
  18. Pharmacokinetics of escalating single-dose administration of cannabidiol to cats.Journal of veterinary pharmacology and therapeutics · 2023
    Article
  19. Article
  20. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Justyna E KulpaCanopy Animal Health, Research & Development, Canopy Growth Corporation, Smith Falls, ON, Canada.ORCID 0000-0001-9823-235X
Lina J PaulionisCanopy Animal Health, Research & Development, Canopy Growth Corporation, Smith Falls, ON, Canada.
Graham Ml EglitHuman and Animal Research Program, Canopy Growth Corporation, Smith Falls, ON, Canada.
Dana M VaughnCanopy Animal Health, Research & Development, Canopy Growth Corporation, Smith Falls, ON, Canada.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesThe aim of this study was to determine the safety and tolerability of escalating doses of orally delivered cannabis oils predominant in cannabidiol (CBD), tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), or both CBD and THC in healthy cats.

methodsIn this placebo-controlled, blinded study, 20 healthy adult cats were randomized to one of five treatment groups (n = 4 per group): two placebo groups (sunflower oil [SF] or medium-chain triglyceride oil [MCT]), or three plant-derived cannabinoid oil groups (CBD in MCT, THC in MCT or CBD/THC [1.5:1] in SF). Up to 11 escalating doses of each formulation were delivered orally via syringe to fasted subjects, with at least 3 days separating doses. Safety and tolerability were determined from clinical observations, complete blood counts (CBCs) and clinical chemistry. Plasma cannabinoids (CBD, THC) and metabolites (7-COOH-CBD, 11-OH-THC) were assessed.

resultsTitration to maximum doses of 30.5 mg/kg CBD (CBD oil), 41.5 mg/kg THC (THC oil) or 13.0:8.4 mg/kg CBD:THC (CBD/THC oil) was safely achieved in all subjects. All observed adverse events (AEs) were mild, transient and resolved without medical intervention. Gastrointestinal AEs were more common with formulations containing MCT. Constitutional (lethargy, hypothermia), neurologic (ataxia) and ocular (protrusion membrana nictitans) AEs were more common with oils containing THC (CBD/THC and THC oils). There were no clinically significant changes in CBC or clinical chemistry across treatment groups. Higher plasma levels of the cannabinoids and their metabolites following administration of the CBD/THC combination product are suggestive of a pharmacokinetic interaction. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: This is the first feline study to explore the safety and tolerability of CBD and THC, alone and in combination, in a controlled research setting. These findings will inform veterinarians of the safety profile of cannabinoids, particularly when considering the potential therapeutic use of CBD in cats or recognizing clinical signs associated with accidental exposure to THC-containing products.

Indexed as

AnalgesicsAnimalsCannabidiolCannabinoidsCatsDronabinolAnalgesicsCannabidiolCannabinoidsDronabinolCannabidiolcannabinoid administration and dosagecannabinoid adverse effectssafetytetrahydrocannabinol

Identifiers

PMID33769105
PMCPMC8637357
OpenAlexW3138123424

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.