Table 2.
Clinical signs and complementary methods used for diagnosis and improvement criteria during cannabinoid treatments
| Condition/disease | Additional techniques combined with anamnesis for diagnosis | Signs associated with mild/moderate improvement | Signs associated with significant improvement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pain (P) | X-ray/echography | Decrease in claudication, recovery of appetite, decrease in pain on palpation | Recovery of functions lost or significantly diminished by the underlying pathology (e.g., playing, barking, running, scratching, grooming), improvement of rest during the night, appetite, etc. |
| Behavioral disorders (B) | Blood test | Decrease in intensity of symptom/sign manifestations (compulsive behavior, restlessness, anxiety state) | Disappearance of symptoms/signs or patients who can lead an everyday life as any other without behavioral disorders |
| Seizures (S) | Blood test/magnetic resonance imaging | Decrease seizures’ frequency, duration, or intensity by 10–20% | 30% or more decrease in frequency, duration, or intensity of seizures |
| Oncology patient palliative (OP) | Blood test/echography | Reduction of discomfort but does not restore the quality of life of a non-oncologic patient | Improved appetite, no pain, and mood markedly similar to pre-diagnosis |
| Distemper sequelae (SM) | Blood test | Decrease in myoclonus/seizures | Disappearance of myoclonus/seizures |
| Senile cognitive dysfunction (SCD) | Blood test | Decreased vocalization, partial regularization of the sleep-wake cycle, location in space, and interaction with the environment close to normal | Complete recovery of the sleep cycle, the absence of vocalizations, normal appetite, located in space, interacting with the environment |
| Dermatopathies (DM) | Lab/biopsy | Reduction of skin lesions (erythema, pustules, hyperkeratosis, pruritus) | Almost total or total disappearance of cutaneous sinology |
| Gingivostomatitis (G) | Blood test/cytology | Decreased salivation, less reddening of the oral mucosa, better chewing of foods | No oral lesions or overt pain, normal chewing, no salivation |
| P + SCD | Blood tests/x-rays | Improved connection with the environment, normal sleep-wake cycle, even with some alteration in vocalization behaviors or disorientation | Recovery of rest, do not vocalize, patients located in the space where they live, and can interact with their environment similarly to what they did before diagnosis |
| P + OP | Lab/x-rays/echography | Decreased discomfort and improved rest, partial recovery of appetite | No severe discomfort, no pain or mild pain, good quality of sleep, normal appetite |
Shows clinical signs evaluated in consultation and complementary tests for diagnosing pathologies in both species (column 2). Columns 3 and 4 summarize signs/symptoms evaluated for the characterization of improvement along the treatment