Psychedelics as Novel Therapeutics for Chronic Pain in Veterinary Medicine: A Hypothesis-Driven Protocol Using Low-Dose 1-Cyclopropionyl-D-lysergic Acid Diethylamide (1cp-LSD) in Canine Osteoarthritis.

A proposed study will test whether low doses of 1cp-LSD, a legal LSD analogue, can help manage chronic pain in dogs with osteoarthritis. About 24 dogs will receive intermittent, sub-perceptual doses of the drug or a placebo over 30 days while continuing standard pain medication. Caregivers will not know which treatment their dog receives. Pain will be measured using the Canine Brief Pain Inventory and caregiver reports, including a questionnaire on treatment expectations. The study expects pain scores to decrease in treated dogs, possibly influenced by caregiver expectations. Limitations include a small sample size and lack of established dosing.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Low-dose psychedelics have shown potential in modulating chronic pain in humans, yet their application in veterinary medicine remains unexplored. This study protocol proposes to investigate the therapeutic potential of low-dose oral administration of 1-cyclopropionyl-D-lysergic acid diethylamide (1cp-LSD), a legal LSD analogue in certain countries, for the management of chronic pain in privately owned dogs with osteoarthritis. The study will employ a randomized, placebo-controlled design with caregivers blinded to treatment allocation. A cohort of about 24 dogs previously diagnosed with osteoarthritis, will orally receive sub-perceptual, intermittent doses of 1cp-LSD over a 30-day period, while maintaining their standard analgesic regimens to safeguard animal welfare. Outcome measures will include the Canine Brief Pain Inventory and caregiver-reported assessments, including the Treatment Expectation Questionnaire (TEX-Q), to evaluate both pharmacological efficacy and the influence of caregiver expectations as an indirect indicator of placebo effects as a secondary aim. The study anticipates a reduction in pain scores among treated dogs, potentially modulated by caregiver expectations. However, the sustained effect of 1cp-LSD in osteoarthritis remains uncertain due to interactions with inflammatory mediators. Limitations include the lack of established dose-response relationships, small cohort size, and variability in caregiver perceptions, which will be analyzed descriptively. The protocol establishes a comprehensive and methodologically framework to evaluate both the pharmacological therapeutic effects of low-dose psychedelics in managing chronic osteoarthritic pain and the psychological factors that may influence perceived outcomes.