Seattle company designs medical marijuana patch for pets

A Seattle based company has developed a medical marijuana patch for man's best friend suffering from ailments.

Jim Alekson's Medical Marijuana Delivery Systems LLC has patented a patch called Tetracan that he says could be used on dogs, cats, even horses.

"Dogs suffer from the same maladies that humans do. It's a question of quality of life," said Alekson.

While the patch does conjure visions of pups frolicking in fields of poppies, Alekson said pets suffer from everything from arthritis to cancer. He also pointed to pharmaceutical painkillers that have proven harmful, sometimes fatal in animals.

"I'd much rather they were on something holistic as opposed to something chemical that I know is breaking down some of the organs in their body," Alekson said.

Developers said the patch would be available for use by humans as well.

They hoped to have it ready for market by the end of the year.