Italian and Brazilian specialists publish first case report on the use of CBD as a treatment for stereotypy in horses

Date of publication: February 22, 2023

Translation: MVZ Flor Ortiz

In mid-February 2023, the journal Veterinary and Animal Science published the first case report of a mare treated with cannabidiol (CBD) because she presented a stereotypy composed of two of the main behavioral problems in this species: wood biting and air swallowing.

Stereotypies are characterized as repetitive and relatively consistent behavior patterns. They result in reduced animal performance and can lead to the development of secondary pathologies such as gastric ulcers and colic. Since a significant percentage of conventional therapies may not be successful, new therapies are needed.

Due to their potential in the discipline, veterinarians from the University of Bologna (Italy) and the Methodist University (Brazil) chose to use cannabinoids for the treatment of one of their patients. 

Details to consider

A 22-year-old quarter horse mare was treated who had been presenting with this problem for more than 15 years. Previous clinical approaches were unsuccessful. In the anamnesis, it was revealed that the mare used to be a sport horse and once her sport career was over, she was retired and kept partially stabled. She presented no alterations in terms of normal parameters of physiological constants, hemogram and blood biochemistry in equines. 

The horse was placed on therapy with isolated CBD at a dose of 0.5 mg/kg/day every 12 h orally. During therapy there were no changes in the quality/quantity of feed or in the mare's daily routine.

The mare was monitored to evaluate the presence of adverse effects to CBD. However, no report was made by the specialists. Between the first and second week of treatment , a significant decrease in the number of hours spent chewing wood and swallowing air was observed with a gradual and steady increase in appetite. After 30 days of therapy the results were positive and the owners did not observe any regression in behavior. 

While this case is encouraging, further research and clinical trials are needed to establish bioavailability, dosage and drug interactions in equine cases, and potential use for specific pathologies. 

Reference: Cunha, R. Z., Felisardo, L. L., Salamanca, G., Marchioni, G. G., Neto, O. I., & Chiocchetti, R. (2023). The use of cannabidiol as a novel treatment for oral stereotypic behaviour (crib-biting) in a horse. Veterinary and Animal Science, 19(100289), 100289. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vas.2023.100289