What happens if my Dog gets High?

by Sandi, CVT

I wanted to write about a danger to our pets that is not well known.  With the enactment of the medical marijuana act, I feel it is imperative that pet owners be informed.  Dogs are most often the pets who ingest the drug and it can be deadly.  Clinical signs will show up from minutes to hours after ingestion.  The symptoms of THC toxicity in mild cases will be low heart rate, vomiting, and over sensitivity to visual and auditory stimuli.  They will flinch when touched, when they hear loud noises, and to fast motions toward their faces.  More serious cases will have trouble walking, low temperatures, and low heart rates.  Other signs include excessive salivation, vomiting, loss of appetite, urinary incontinence, diarrhea, and vocalization.  There is no antidote to the toxicity.  Veterinary care will be supportive.  IV fluids will help flush the drugs from the patient.  Anti-vomiting medications can be given as well as medications for diarrhea. 

I also wanted to let owners, who do not use marijuana for medical purposes, know a very important fact.  Veterinarians and their staffs have no obligation to report illegal drug use to anyone.  Our only obligation is to the animals we care for.  If your pet ingests marijuana, it is imperative that you tell your veterinarian.  This will increase the chances that your pet will recover as we will be able to give the right treatments.

Remember, too, that THC-laced edibles often contain other ingredients that are poisonous to dogs like chocolate or artificial sweeteners.  Dogs which eat these can find themselves in an even more dangerous situation.  

I am including these two video links.  The first is a news video showing dogs suffering from THC toxicity.  It will show owners what signs to look for.  The other is a video from a Veterinarian who has written a song urging owners to tell the Veterinarian that their dogs have eaten marijuana.  This second one I put in just for fun.

If your pet finds "your neighbor's" stash, they need to be seen by a veterinary professional as soon as possible!  However, please do not operate a motor vehicle if you're under the influence!