This particular topic irritates me to my core. I remember working relief one day in a vet clinic, I won't name names, and this particular day was a little bizarre. We had 25-50 calls to refill their dogs Alprazolam prescription. For those of you that don't know, Alprazolam is Xanax.
One woman in particular arrived early with her dog in hand. Her dog, let's say Stevie, was a perfectly normal pooch. He didn't act pilled out and he didn't act aggressive. I'd worked with countless anxiety cases at that point in my career and it didn't add up to me. I took Stevie outside and I threw the ball, he ran with sure footing, panted, drank water, did a few tricks. I decided I was a little more curious about his owner. I couldn't find one reason to validate his prescription of Alprazolam. Especially 2mg twice a day, aka 2 bars of Xanax a DAY.
I left Stevie to play with a kennel technician and I made my way back to the exam rooms. I heard voices yelling before I could make it to the room.
"STEVIE NEEDS HIS ALPRAZOLAM NOW!! He cannot make it without his medication!!
You're not taking this seriously; I need to speak to your boss." The woman slaps the front desk and the sound echoes in the blank silence that followed her screams down the hallway. I knew exactly what this was. I rounded the corner and the woman stood clutching her purse with one hand, the other in a balled-up fist at her side. Her blonde hair is disheveled, and some is stuck to her face. Her upper lip is beaming with sweat and her eyes are darting from person to person in the lobby.
She's an addict. I know this all too well as I grew up with people just like her. Years in the Veterinary industry also taught me that people would use their pets for pills. She was itching for her fix, and it seems she's found a veterinarian who would play right along with her.
That was my last shift in Veterinary Medicine. I'd already been working for myself, at Hippie Hounds, for six months. I'm not sure why I still picked up a shift here and there, it must have been that it's difficult to leave behind a career that you love so much. I knew that I would make a difference for animals everyday as a Veterinary Technician and I didn't realize Hippie Hounds would grow to help WAY MORE animals than I could have ever reached working patient by patient.
On my last day in Vet med, I knew that if those pills would do that to that woman, then I know those pills are doing the same thing to our dogs. I know how dangerous prescription medications can be! Especially those that are designed to treat anxiety and pain conditions. They're addictive, they're harsh, they're damaging, they're expensive. Big pharma has a hold on animals just like it does on humans.
That's why I've devoted my career and my life to providing a natural solution to pharmaceuticals. Hemp has an incredible impact on pain and anxiety symptoms. Not to mention the other extreme cases I've worked with like seizures, cancer, palliative care, and more. Hemp is non-addictive and won't create a dependency for your pet. Your dog also won't overdose on hemp thanks to the biphasic dose response curve of the cannabinoid, CBD. I can prove this from my own case study where my dog, Brie, ate 86 of our 10mg hemp infused treats off the counter. (That's what happens when you start out of your own home). Brie took a 3-hour nap and never experienced toxicity or overdose symptoms. We routinely check her bloodwork, and she hasn't had any changes to her liver or kidney values. That was about 4 years ago. Other dogs have accidentally ingested full bags of our products and none have experienced an overdose.
Hemp is not expensive, and it doesn't require an expensive vet visit either. At Hippie Hounds we have Certified Veterinary Technicians and Certified Veterinary Cannabis Counselors available to help walk you through hemp therapy. From finding the perfect product or dose, to working directly with you & your Veterinarian. We are able to provide a personal touch that our competitors don't prioritize.
I hope that you'll consider a natural option the next time your Veterinarian pulls out their prescription pad. To learn more about Hippie Hounds products and testimonies visit our website at www.hippiehoundstreats.com or give us a call at (479) 235-0403.