A veterinarian in the Town of Essex could be the first in the region to use an oil derived from hemp to treat cats and dogs suffering from cancer, seizures and osteoarthritis.
Dr Janice Huntingford, who works at the Essex Veterinary Hospital, says she should get her first shipment of CBD oil from a colleague in Vancouver this week.
Although hemp is related to marijuana, the oil doesn't contain THC, the active ingredient in medical marijuana. THC isn't safe for use in dogs and cats and has proven deadly in other jurisdictions that have legalized pot.
"You know they have licensed medical marijuana in the State of Colorado," she says. "Since they have done that there have been eight or nine dogs who have died from toxicity."
Huntingford says she has a lot of patients that can benefit from CBD oil, but in the past, she's had to send them to the U.S. for the treatment.
She says the oil has been shown to be especially effective on cats and dogs suffering from bone cancer and has even shrunk the size of tumours.