More pets are turning up at veterinary emergency rooms in serious distress. The cause, increasingly, is cannabis poisoning in pets. Experts say the numbers are climbing fast and show no sign of slowing down. As more countries and US states legalise cannabis, the risk to household animals keeps growing, yet too many owners still have no idea it exists.
The Animal Poison Control Centre recorded a 300% rise in calls about marijuana toxicity in dogs and other pets between 2018 and 2023. That figure captures something important: wider drug availability brings consequences that go well beyond the humans using it.
Why Dogs Face a Higher Risk of Cannabis Poisoning
Dogs do not process tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) the way humans do. Their bodies react to it far more severely, and at far lower doses. Dr Ashton Townsley, lead emergency veterinarian at Veterinary Emergency Group (VEG) in Torrance, California, puts it plainly.
“Even just a normal ingestion for what a human might take becomes a toxicity in dogs,” he said.
There is no safe threshold owners can rely on. A half-smoked joint left in the garden, an edible sitting on a coffee table, something sniffed up on a walk: any of these can send a dog into a frightening medical spiral. Owners often do not know it has happened until the symptoms are already showing.
How to Spot Marijuana Toxicity in Dogs
Dr Townsley says he can often pick out cannabis poisoning in pets from across the waiting room. The signs cluster together in a way that is hard to miss.
Watch for a lurching, unsteady gait, similar to a drunken walk. Look for dilated pupils, sharp over-reactivity to normal sounds or movements, and loss of bladder control. When those signs appear together, experienced vets treat it as highly suspicious straight away.
Diagnosis is not always straightforward. Urine tests on dogs can return false negatives. Many owners also hold back information. “It is the rare pet parent that comes in knowing their pet got into marijuana, or is willing to admit it,” said Dr Townsley. He often has to draw the history out carefully, reminding owners that a neighbour’s discarded pre-roll or something picked up on a walk could easily be the cause.
A 2022 survey of small animal vets across North America found that over 60% had treated at least one case of cannabis ingestion in the previous year, with most reporting an increase compared to five years prior. The problem is spreading quietly through waiting rooms everywhere.
How Long Does Cannabis Poisoning in Pets Last?
Milder cases of marijuana toxicity in dogs usually clear within 8 to 12 hours. More severe exposures keep animals unwell for up to 48 hours. Fatalities are uncommon, but Dr Townsley has treated cannabis-related comas, tremors and seizures. These are not outcomes to brush off. “At higher doses, there are some severe side effects,” he said.
The Double Danger of Edibles
Cannabis poisoning in pets becomes significantly more dangerous when edibles enter the picture. Chocolate edibles add their own layer of toxicity for dogs. Gummy sweets are often worse: most contain xylitol, an artificial sweetener that causes serious harm to dogs even in tiny amounts.
“We have to act very aggressively, more for the xylitol toxicity than for the marijuana ingestion itself,” said Dr Townsley.
A dog that eats a cannabis gummy is not fighting one problem. It is fighting two at the same time. Treatment becomes more complex, more urgent and harder on the animal. This is the scenario vets dread most.
What to Do If You Suspect Your Pet Has Been Exposed
Act quickly. If your pet shows signs of marijuana toxicity, get to a vet without delay. Do not wait to see if things settle. Tell the vet everything you know or suspect about what your animal consumed. That detail shapes how they treat it, and holding it back only slows things down.
No symptoms yet, but you think your pet got into cannabis? Call your vet or an out-of-hours emergency line. They will tell you whether to come in straight away or keep watch at home.
Cannabis poisoning in pets rarely enters the conversation when people debate drug policy. But for any household with animals, the stakes are real. What people bring home, leave in the garden, or even carry in on their clothing can end up harming their pets. Vets are seeing it happen every day.
(Source: WRD News)