Dogs will eat anything that’s nearby, even if it’s marijuana. Don’t panic. Here’s what you can do if this happens.
Dogs have the annoying talent of finding the most inconvenient things to eat and chew, especially if they’re sweet and edible. This is particularly dangerous if you keep edibles around the house.
While it’s unlikely that your dog will eat your weed just because they like the taste, dogs are capable of eating just about anything, so you can never be too careful. In fact, over the past few years, these incidents are becoming more common, especially in states where marijuana is legal.
The Huffington Post spoke to some veterinarians who shared their tips for what to do if your dog eats marijuana.
Learn the symptoms of marijuana poisoning in dogs
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. Although the symptoms are kind of all over the place and hard to monitor, your dog will be feeling pretty miserable, and that’s easy to tell.
Act fast
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.
Depending on the state and feel of your dog, call a vet and consult them or take them straight there to be treated.
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Induce vomiting
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.
Take your dog to the vet
The best way to ensure that nothing goes wrong is to take your pet to the vet and let the experts determine what to do. Be honest with them no matter how you obtained the marijuana since this could help them determine the course of treatment and save the life of your dog.
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Make sure it doesn’t happen again
No matter the bad experiences, some dogs don’t learn and try to eat everything in sight. Make sure that you put your marijuana and edibles in a place that’s out of reach, where the elements can’t fall and where your dog won’t be able to find them. All household members should know to keep marijuana out of your pet’s reach.
