Marijuana and Pets – What you need to know

With the growing use of Marijuana and related products across the country, it’s important for pet owners to be aware of the danger to pets. Inhalation of the smoke or ingestion of any portion of the marijuana plant (pot brownies, for example) is highly toxic to pets because of the high levels of THC in the raw product. THC is the psychoactive compound that can be lethally toxic if pets ingest this substance in any form. Pets have died, especially when owners delay telling their veterinarian, or don’t tell the veterinary team at all, about the possibility that their pet got into a marijuana product.

Doctor speaking to Client

After ingesting or inhaling, symptoms of THC toxicity include Neurologic and GI signs. Examples include CNS depression (coma), ataxia (wobbling), vomiting, tremors, and acute onset of urinary incontinence (leakage). These are the most commonly reported clinical signs of marijuana intoxication in dogs.

It’s important to contact your veterinarian soon after noticing your pet has ingested or inhaled marijuana because recovery is dose-dependent and may take 24 to 72 hours.  Remember, over-the-counter urine drug screen tests have not been validated in dogs, and false-negative results are common. In addition, over-the-counter CBD/Hemp chews and oils should have THC levels below 0.3% to be safe. However, there are lots of unregulated products flooding the market and not all CBD’s are created equal. It depends on many factors like where the product is sourced and how it is handled. Therefore, purity and sourcing is imperative for ensuring safety for the pet. We at BMAH believe that with the help of a veterinarian, Ellevet CBD chews and oils are 100% safe and beneficial for many dogs and cats with many conditions like pain, inflammation, anxiety, seizures, etc. Please discuss with your family veterinarian if you wish to include this product in your pet’s health care plan.

Belle Mead Animal Hospital, Your Other Family Doctors

Handling Every Pet with Love Every Day!

As Certified Fear Free Professionals, our Mission is to prevent and alleviate fear, anxiety and stress in pets by inspiring and educating the people who care for them.

Fear Free - Taking the Pet out of Petrified

LIKE us on Facebook and Follow us on Twitter @BMAH121 and Pinterest for news and pet wellness tips. We’re also on YouTube! Subscribe for updates! Tag and Follow us on Instagram!

This entry was posted in General Pets, News, Veterinary Medicine and tagged , , . Bookmark the permalink.
  • Recent Posts

  • Archives

  • Categories