Philly-area veterinarians are seeing a rise in ‘pot dogs,’ pets with concerning symptoms of marijuana exposure

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Veterinarian Dr. Jennifer Graham used to be able to spot a “marijuana dog” from a mile away.

“They look high,” she said. “They have very classic dilated pupils, their limbs are splaying out, they’re wobbling almost like a bobblehead doll, but that’s their entire body. And they start dribbling urine everywhere.”

But veterinarians are now noticing new concerning symptoms among pets that have accidentally ingested a person’s medical or recreational marijuana-infused products, such as edible chocolates or gummies.

Symptoms in pets include “really low heart rates, respiratory depression, low [or] sometimes high body temperatures,” Graham said. “The dribbling urine, which is often a key giveaway, doesn’t often happen until a little bit later.”

She added that pets will also have “very dulled” mental activity, which will make it “a lot harder to figure out what’s going on.”

Cannabis can be legally sold, or it has been decriminalized, in most states across the country. There’s been a sharp uptick in marijuana products and a growing consumer market, which has also led to an increase in the number of pets consuming products at home or outside.

Recreational drugs are one of the top 10 toxins affecting pets, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, or ASPCA.

As newer products come onto the market, some with highly concentrated amounts of THC, the psychoactive component of cannabis, veterinarians are warning users to take extra precautions to protect their pets from harm and seek help if they suspect a case of accidental ingestion.

“Be aware that [pets] have their own set of needs and you’re responsible for them,” Graham, who co-owns Main Line Urgent Vet in Ardmore, Pennsylvania, said. “The sooner you seek help, the easier it is for your vet to manage.”

What to do if your pet becomes high

It’s important for pet owners to seek help from veterinary general practitioners or emergency care doctors if they suspect that their animal is sick.

The first part of any exam may involve observing the animal “before you even put hands on them,” Graham said.

“That can really tell you a lot of information,” she said. “Just reading their body language, seeing what their vitals are doing before you get into an in-depth physical exam.”

Next, getting information from pet owners about events leading up to signs of illness, and any other relevant details, is critical, Graham said. However, when marijuana is involved, that can sometimes be a little tricky.

“It’s very important that owners know that we’re not going to rat them out,” Dr. Robin Goyle, veterinarian and co-owner of Main Line Urgent Vet, said.

In order for pet owners to feel comfortable with them, they need to build a safe space, Graham said.

“Our job as veterinarians is not to get an owner in trouble,” she said. “The more information we know, the better we can do to figure out what’s going on.”

People have been more forthcoming in recent years about eating marijuana edibles or smoking at home, Graham and Goyle said. But in other cases, it can still take time to get to the truth.

“I had one dog come in once where [the appointment] started as, ‘It ate chocolate.’ Then it turned into, ‘It ate brownies.’ Then it was ‘homemade brownies.’ Then it was ‘homemade pot brownies.’ Turns out, there were no brownies, it was just a dime bag of marijuana,” Graham said.

It can also be helpful when pet owners can provide information about the kinds of products and medications they keep at home, Goyle said. Without that information, it can take longer to identify what might be causing symptoms.

“Even if it’s just that you take pictures of [prescriptions], trying to bring all that information with you is really crucial for us to be able to make the right decisions,” Goyle said. “Because there are certain medications that are extremely toxic and are extremely dangerous and immediately require certain things and certain care.”

Historically, most cases of cannabis toxicity in animals have happened because a pet got into products at home. But recently, Graham and Goyle said they’ve also had longtime clients come in with pets who’ve ingested discarded, used marijuana joints or other products outside.

“All of a sudden people are saying, ‘We went for a walk, 30 minutes later, my dog is flat out and I don’t know what happened.’ And I believe them,” Graham said.

Treatments for suspected marijuana ingestion and toxicity

Pet owners may attempt to use hydrogen peroxide to induce vomiting in their pet if they suspect that they’ve ingested something with marijuana, chocolate or xylitol, an ingredient used in some sugar-free products that is extremely toxic for dogs.

However, veterinarians warn that this method can cause damage to the throat or stomach lining, “so it really should be a last-ditch effort,” Graham said.

It can also become dangerous to do in animals that are so lethargic or unresponsive after ingesting cannabis that they can’t vomit.

“If you try and induce vomiting at home or even if we as vets try and induce vomiting in an animal that it’s not safe to do that in, they can die from aspiration pneumonia,” Graham said. “It’s a very serious complication.”

Successful treatments can involve intravenous fluids for cardiovascular support, heating or cooling therapies to stabilize body temperature, and anticonvulsants or medications that can help calm animals and keep them comfortable until the drug’s effects wear off.

That can last up to 72 hours or longer in animals, especially if they’ve eaten synthetic cannabinoids, Graham said.

Most cannabis toxicity cases have a good prognosis, and veterinarians can stabilize animals so that they can go home with their owners to recover, but the entire experience is likely very disorienting and even traumatizing for these pets, Goyle said.

“They have no idea what’s going on,” Goyle said. “It can be really nauseating. I mean, we don’t even know the [psychotic] effect that it potentially is having. As a person, you might be making that choice to experience that, but as pets, they’re not making that choice, and that’s probably just more frightening and scary for them than anything else.”

If you suspect your pet has been poisoned or has consumed a toxic substance, call your local veterinarian or contact 24-hour poison control support at the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center 888-426-4435 or the Pet Poison Helpline 855-764-7661.