Pets Overdosing on Edible Marijuana Products

Since marijuana has been legalized, either for medicinal or recreational use, it turns out that pets are unfortunately also consuming the marijuana. Edible marijuana is available in the form of brownies, gummy bears, and all sorts of other products. Owners are not keeping the products away from the pets and as a result, veterinarians are treating more and more dogs and cats for overdoses.

The Dangers

Pets will often be limp and very unresponsive if they have had marijuana, though it various with every animal. Veterinarians are commonly saying that there are more pets testing positive for marijuana. The high toxicity levels are dangerous and it is required for the vets to report it to the authorities.

NPR recently did a report about the pets and what the warning signs are. They may moan, have trouble blinking, or even stare off into oblivion. Pets can become “stoned” just as humans can, but it is much more severe because their small bodies simply cannot handle the THC overload.

The intoxication on marijuana has definitely been on the rise and much of it has to do with the rise in availability of marijuana products. The ASPCA's poison control centers have received over 500 calls in 2014 and there were even more in 2015.

What Can be Done

There is more opportunity for a pet to have marijuana if there are edibles around them. For example, if there is a brownie sitting on the table, the dog is likely going to eat the brownie when given the opportunity. They will certainly not know that there is marijuana in it.

This means that you need to be responsible if you are going to keep marijuana in the house. It needs to be kept away from all of your pets, just as you would keep it out of harm’s way of kids. It’s all part of doing your due diligence as a pet owner.

If you do suspect that your pet has ingested any edible marijuana, the best thing that you can do is call one of the pet poison control centers in your area. It may be beneficial to have a number on your refrigerator, simply as a “just in case” precaution.

Since pets are more susceptible to marijuana intoxication than humans, it really has to be something you are careful with. This is particularly true of gluttonous pets. Some pets stop eating when they are no longer hungry. Others will eat until they are sick to their stomach. This means that if they find brownies with marijuana or any other edible that contains the THC, they aren’t going to stop with just one. They are going to eat the whole pan or the whole bag of treats.

It’s an expensive product to begin with, so treat it carefully. Keep it out of the way of your pets and be sure you look at where you place your own dosage of it so the family dog can’t grab it while you’re reaching for the TV remote.