Summer is fun, but can be a bit hectic…and one look away and a dog can eat anything – don’t panic, but here are the steps if he gobbles some weed.
Family vacations, car trips, camping, outdoor bbqs…summer is filled with all sorts of great activities. For the 44+% of households who have a dog, it can be a bit of a challenge. Dog are curious, hungry and able to spot a “treat” a hundred miles away. So don’t panic, but here are the important steps if your dog has marijuana.
Dog sniffs food before they eat it. They are trying to get a good sense of what they are about to consume. If the food is stale or spoiled, they may refuse to eat, or it simply might be because it does not taste/smell good or familiar. It is unlikely a dog will eat flower because of the taste, but edibles, gummies and other things with little smell could be fair game.
No matter how much marijuana your dog consumes, you should keep an eye on their symptoms and learn what marijuana poisoning looks like. Symptoms can change depending on the size of the dog and the amount of cannabis that was consumed. These can include vomiting, drooling, wobbly movements, barking or howling, lethargy, rapid heart rate and changes in body temperature. While the symptoms seem to be all of ver the place, they reflect how the dog is feeling. Like alcohol, which should never been given to an animal, dogs can’t process why their world is suddenly altered.
“While marijuana is not exactly toxic for dogs, if your dog ate it in the form of an edible, other compounds may cause adverse reactions. Some of the ingredients in edibles, like chocolate or the sugar substitute Xylitol, can be deadly,” says Michael San Filippo, spokesperson for the American Veterinary Medical Association.
If you are concerned your dog has consumed, the best way to ensure that nothing goes wrong is to contact your vet and if needed to him to emergency care. This lets the experienced experts determine a solution. Be honest with your concerns so they determine the course of treatment and save the life of your dog.
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While it’s best to consult a doctor, making your dog vomit is kind of simple and could help them get the toxins out of their stomach. When done within 15 minutes of ingestion, this could help prevent toxins from seeping into their bloodstream. “Give one teaspoon of 3% hydrogen peroxide orally per 10 pounds of dog. Your dog should throw up within about 15 minutes,” said Gary Weitzman, president of the San Diego Humane Society.
Another key thing to do is remember a dog is not a human, they can’t reason what is going on, enjoy the journey, chill out and sometimes remember the blue gummy made them sick. No matter the bad experiences, some dogs don’t learn and try to eat something again if it smells ok. Ensure the marijuana and edibles are in a place out of reach, where the elements can’t fall and where the dog won’t be able to find them. All household members should know to keep marijuana out of your pet’s reach.
