Use of medicinal cannabis in dogs with multicentric lymphoma: a report of two cases

ABSTRACT Multicentric lymphoma is the most common hematopoietic neoplasia in dogs, with chemotherapy being the standard treatment. Medicinal cannabis, especially cannabidiol (CBD), has been studied as a complementary therapy to mitigate symptoms and adverse effects of chemotherapy. This study reports two cases of dogs with multicentric lymphoma treated for two months with chemotherapy and cannabis oil. Both received the cyclosphosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisolone (CHOP) protocol combined with full-spectrum 3% cannabis oil for 60 days. The results suggest that medicinal cannabis may have helped reduce side effects, particularly in modulating myelotoxicity, with variations in neutropenia between cases. Additionally, one of the dogs showed reduced thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) levels, suggesting a possible antioxidant effect of CBD. These findings indicate that cannabis oil may be a promising adjunct therapeutic option in the treatment of multicentric lymphoma in dogs, aiding in the management of chemotherapy-related adverse effects. However, individual responses vary, highlighting the need for further studies to clarify the mechanisms involved and establish more effective therapeutic protocols. This research reinforces the potential of medicinal cannabis as an ally in veterinary oncology, expanding perspectives for new therapeutic approaches.