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Pets Need Immediate Care When Exposed to Marijuana

Marijuana, known by many names, needs very little introduction. We all know it is a popular recreational drug smoked by millions of people worldwide. We also know that many states are now legalizing the use of it with a medical marijuana card. Its psychoactive ingredient is delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol, more commonly called THC. Regular marijuana is typically 1-8% THC while hashish, made from the flowering tops of the plant and their resins, can contain up to 10% THC. Other properties of THC give it controversial medicinal properties, appetite stimulation, and nausea control.

The usual pet toxicity case involves a dog that has inadvertently eaten a stash of marijuana. In dogs, clinical signs typically begin 30 to 90 minutes after the marijuana has been eaten. Because THC is stored in the body’s fat deposits, the effects of marijuana ingestion can last for days.

                Signs include: incoordination and lethargy along with dilated pupils, slow heart rate and sometimes urinary incontinence. A characteristic startle reaction has been described where the pet appears drowsy and even may begin to fall over but catches balance. Marijuana toxicity can look similar to intoxication with numerous other sedatives. It is important for all the relevant information to be given to the veterinarian if the pet is to be helped. The most important thing to remember is that veterinarians are not obligated to report marijuana toxicity in pets to local police. DO NOT put off bringing your pet in for fear of getting in trouble! If you know marijuana was involved in an intoxication it is important to make this information known to the veterinarian.

If less than thirty minutes have passed since the marijuana has been eaten, it may be possible to induce vomiting but after symptoms have started, the nausea control properties of THC make it difficult to induce vomiting. Furthermore, if the patient is extremely sedated, vomiting can be dangerous as vomit can be inhaled and cause an even more serious health issue.

Activated charcoal is a liquid material used to treat poisoning. Activated charcoal is given orally and as it passes from one end of the pet to the other, toxins are trapped in the charcoal so that when the charcoal passes from the patient, the toxins pass too. This technique of detoxification may be used to treat marijuana toxicity if ingestion has occurred recently.

Fluid support and keeping the patient warm may also be needed in treatment. If the patient has lost consciousness, more intense observation and support is needed. The chance of fatality is statistically small but possible. In most cases, the patient can simply be confined so as to prevent injury until the THC wears off.

Here at Ash Veterinary Clinic and Emergency Center, we are seeing cases of marijuana toxicity in pets more frequently than we have in years past due to people being able to obtain medical marijuana cards. We cannot stress enough how important it is to bring your pet in as soon as your realize that they may have ingested the drug. Remember, your pet’s health is our first concern. If you think that your pet may have ingested marijuana, or any other foreign substance, please call us immediately at 734-782-2827.

[4:06:25 PM] Dianne Raftopoulos: