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Dogs' pot poisoning soars as pets dig through trash, stash

Discussion in 'Health & Nutrition' started by Vicki, Dec 31, 2013.

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  1. Vicki

    Vicki Administrator Staff Member

    Dogs' pot poisoning soars as pets dig through trash, stash
    Katherine Seligman
    Updated 11:10 am, Tuesday, December 31, 2013


    San Francisco veterinarian Jill Chase had just finished hosting a birthday party for her son 10 years ago when her dog went limp. After investigating what might have caused the problem, she discovered the culprit: cannabis-infused butter that a neighbor had dumped in the garbage down the street. Her dog, a Tibetan terrier who was a habitual trash surfer, had eaten a large dose.

    "He was completely ODd in a coma for three days, on my bathroom floor with an IV," said Chase, whose dog eventually recovered.

    Since Chase's experience, cases of marijuana poisoning in dogs have increased, particularly in states like California where medical marijuana is legal. As one veterinarian put it, our dogs are "munching out." Dogs are known to be indiscriminate eaters, going after paper, trash, random objects on the street and, now, their best friend's cannabis.

    The Pet Poison Hotline, which takes calls from around the country and Canada, noted a 200 percent increase in reported incidents of poisoning in the past five years. Dr. Lori Green, a critical care veterinarian at the San Francisco SPCA Veterinary Hospital, says the clinic treats as many as three dogs a week for symptoms of marijuana toxicity: trembling, vomiting and walking troubles.

    "There's been an increase as marijuana becomes more acceptable in public and less of an underworld thing," said Dr. Karl Jandrey, an assistant clinical professor at the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, where the animal hospital treated 27 dogs for pot poisoning in the past year, up from four in 2010.

    Pot's effect different on dogs

    A study published in the Journal of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care in 2012 reported a correlation between the increase in the number of medical marijuana cardholders and the number of dogs getting poisoned. The study found a fourfold increase in cases seen at two Colorado hospitals over six years. All but two dogs - who ate cannabis butter - survived.

    If only a small amount of marijuana is consumed, dogs may become listless or depressed. Pot affects dogs differently than it does humans, veterinarians say, because dogs don't have liver enzymes to metabolize tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, the active ingredient in cannabis. At higher doses, marijuana can cause dogs to vomit, lose coordination and bladder control, have tremors, and be nervous and over-reactive. Their body temperature and heart rate may drop.

    In extreme cases dogs may suffer seizures or seem unresponsive, but THC poisoning is rarely fatal. Dogs usually recover in 12 to 24 hours, though signs can last up to 72 hours.

    "We had one dog affected for three days, but it turns out there was psilocybin and antidepressant in the brownie," Green said. "It was a healthy young dog, but it got the whole cocktail."

    Few poisonings fatal

    A urine test can determine if THC is present, but most dogs are diagnosed based on symptoms, which veterinarians say makes it hard to document the exact number of cases. While many owners take dogs to the veterinarian, an unknown number of others call for advice, consult the Internet or wait out the symptoms at home.

    A 2002 study by the American SPCA's Animal Poison Control Center of 250 cases of accidental marijuana ingestion found that only two were fatal - to a cat and a horse. The vast majority of the poisonings, 96 percent, occurred in dogs, with 3 percent in cats and the remaining 1 percent in other species, according to the ASPCA, which also runs a poison hotline.

    Veterinarians report that some people give their animals marijuana vapors, tinctures or edibles for pain control, and trade pot biscuit recipes on the Internet and discuss dosage. Green and others discourage such treatment, saying there are more effective, safer drugs available and that there is insufficient research showing that pot helps relieve pet suffering.

    Most people who know how their pet got sick are up-front about it, Green said, but sometimes they don't know. Or they don't want anyone else to know. She recalls one client who admitted, after her teenage daughter left the room, that it was her own stash.

    "We make it clear we're trying to help the dog and not pointing the finger at anybody," she said. "The dog might have gotten it from a park or a trash can or from a buddy's backpack."

    Emergency care

    Veterinarians say it's important to get emergency treatment for dogs that show symptoms of THC toxicity, which usually show up 30 to 90 minutes after ingestion. Treatment may include inducing vomiting, or, if the dog is too woozy, feeding it activated charcoal to absorb what's in the stomach. In some cases, the dog might need intravenous fluids to help flush out the toxins and an overnight stay for close monitoring of vital signs.

    The bill for treatment can vary from a few hundred dollars to more than $1,000, depending on the level of care needed.

    Green advises being vigilant about what might put pets at risk, particularly during the season when marijuana edibles may be on the holiday menu.

    "Be aware that it might not be your animal but someone else's," she said. "They will eat anything you leave out."

    Dogs pot poisoning soars as pets dig through trash, stash - GreenwichTime
     
    Vicki, Dec 31, 2013
    #1
  2. Stoney917

    Stoney917 Pup

    Mang I just don't know... I have seen first hand mmj effects on dogs and it's a great solution.... Few things to consider yes dogs aren't humans don't give ya dog a brownie that could put u down for a few... U need to consider the dogs weight condition and ailments... U r not trying to get him stoned or high... Just improve his quality of life.... I've found oil based tinctures with a eye dropper work best... Moms 22 yr cocker gets 5 drops for his issues... Arthritis blindness dog is 22 has a few issues but after a dose he walks good and is just a happy dog... And hasnt had any siesures or breathing issues since we started him n it.. Without he don't move for shit cuz the pain now he acts like a normal dog 15 yrs younger... Her neighbors couldnt believe it was the same dog the improvement was so fast and noticeable... Friends rottie weighing bout 155lbs has bad hips vets wanted to do thousands of dollars worth of surgery ... Now he gets bout 7 ml and moves much better... But some things like poor breeding u cant fix with anything... But his quality of life is much better then it was...And vets of course would be anti pot , shit less $$$ for them and the big boys pumpin out all the rx are loosin only reason vets are against it is the money and lack of education... I'm not gonna rant bout how I feel bout them now just wanna make it known it is a helpful for dogs in need just like humans...

    Shit a fukin horse died my ass.... What did he eat damn 100 pack or sumthin .... Ive had deer bears all kinds of creatures eat my shit in yrs past... Never saw any bodies around.... A fukin dead horse .... Thing was poisoned.... There are studies out there that keep proving all the doctors and government wrong... Don't believe them.. Google..l marijuana is non toxic.... There's many test out there info out there... Never heard of mj fatality... Closest thing I seen to mj death is some amateur doin dabs fallin down hittin there heads.... Or the idiots who blow them selfs up ....safety first ...Neway don't believe any of this bs...
    Curious how many of y'all smoke with ya dogs
     
    Stoney917, Jan 31, 2014
    #2
  3. AGK

    AGK Super duper pooper scooper Administrator

    Who throws out perfectly good pot. lol
     
    AGK, Jan 31, 2014
    #3
  4. Stoney917

    Stoney917 Pup

    Really though how much pot does it take to kill a horse and what strain ans what who where do I get it... New gg4 is strong but shit to kill a horse gotta be from out of space
     
    Stoney917, Jan 31, 2014
    #4
  5. bushwick

    bushwick Big Dog

    I think it's vets just trying to get more people in the office with this bogus scare tactic.
     
    bushwick, Jan 31, 2014
    #5
  6. treezpitz

    treezpitz CH Dog Staff Member

    I don't blow shotguns in my dogs mouth but they're very heavy second hand smokers. My oldest dog ate a little bud I dropped about 10 months ago and I thought the dog slipped into a trance lol. Dog was tripping out but ended up being alright.
     
    treezpitz, Jan 31, 2014
    #6
  7. old goat

    old goat CH Dog

    you they can't eat enough to over dose and die . all you need to do is do what they do for humans is give them juice and a pastry . now we know you can use ibuprofen will stop it .
     
    old goat, Jan 31, 2014
    #7
  8. Laced Wit Game

    Laced Wit Game Yard Boy

    i dont buy it.... weed poisoning??? really??? in order to overdose one needs to smoke/comsume over 2x theyre own body weight.....ive seen dogs get ahold of weed, hell i had one of my house dogs get ahold of it..........it was sad because he was so dissoriented,....but after a few hours and some charcoal, he came around.........just gotta be carefull.....i dont do that "smoking with my dogs" shit.....lol
     
    Laced Wit Game, Jan 31, 2014
    #8
  9. old goat

    old goat CH Dog

    this is propaganda now that i read the whole thing . they have pain patches for animals .


    A 2002 study by the American SPCA's Animal Poison Control Center of 250 cases of accidental marijuana ingestion found that only two were fatal - to a cat and a horse. The vast majority of the poisonings, 96 percent, occurred in dogs, with 3 percent in cats and the remaining 1 percent in other species, according to the ASPCA, which also runs a poison hotline.

    Veterinarians report that some people give their animals marijuana vapors, tinctures or edibles for pain control, and trade pot biscuit recipes on the Internet and discuss dosage. Green and others discourage such treatment, saying there are more effective, safer drugs available and that there is insufficient research showing that pot helps relieve pet suffering.

    here's the real truth .

    At present it is estimated that marijuana’s LD-50 is around 1:20,000 or 1:40,000. In layman terms this means that in order to induce death a marijuana smoker would have to consume 20,000 to 40,000 times as much marijuana as is contained in one marijuana cigarette. NIDA-supplied marijuana cigarettes weigh approximately .9 grams. A smoker would theoretically have to consume nearly 1,500 pounds of marijuana within about fifteen minutes to induce a lethal response.
     
    old goat, Jan 31, 2014
    #9
  10. treezpitz

    treezpitz CH Dog Staff Member

    If somebody "smokes with their dogs" they need to get smacked. But I'm sure if you did a ua on my dogs, they'd definitely have thc content in their system from being around me. It's like london over here with the all day fog. But yes a dog will be disoriented like laced said if they eat it, that's it.
     
    treezpitz, Jan 31, 2014
    #10
  11. Stoney917

    Stoney917 Pup

    I'm with u trees smokin with the dog is bad but my house dogs def have it in there system... Being around me.... Favorite chew toy / tooth brush is dried stalks... I had one incident where I was worried for a bit, I left few gs bho on a paper,,,, couldn't find it,,, started a fight with the wife thinkn she came thrue like a hurricane cleaning tossin everything in the trash.... Well a few hrs later I notice my dog ain't nowhere to be found.... Well found his happy lil ass sleeping under covers comfy as could be with guess what paper stuck to his face.... Lol.. Woke up bout 8hrs later was fine ... Now when he hears any smokin dabbin goin on he comes runnin,,, bangs the door, does whatever to be in the circle.... His new thing is he picks up a big stick and bangs the window...
    Old goat I new the numbers were sumthing redicolous like that good post I was to stoned to dig up them facts.
     
    Stoney917, Jan 31, 2014
    #11
  12. old goat

    old goat CH Dog

    do you know you will never have THC in your system if your sitting around someone smoking ? as long as you see the smoke the THC is all burnt up . if your around someone using a vaporizer then you will have it in your system .
     
    old goat, Jan 31, 2014
    #12
  13. treezpitz

    treezpitz CH Dog Staff Member

    Yea og, I do. Was just comparing to how much is burned over here. I tried that w my po when I was a youngin and it didn't fly with her either. She said I could be stuck in a phone booth (shows how long ago this was) with somebody blowing in my face and it still wouldn't. lol I tried the poppy seed muffin one too. She said that would be opium. lol I tried every trick in the book.
     
    treezpitz, Jan 31, 2014
    #13
  14. Harky

    Harky Pup

    Read this on FB when gamedog posted it. Doesn't surprise me that anyone that knows anything about dope can see that it's hyped up garbage. Horses would actually have more tolerance to THC than humans. Canines possibly less than humans. However I think being a lot lighter weight wise doses would need to be adjusted accordingly. From personal experience having seen dogs eat plants - generally males which have a lot less THC. They seem to handle it OK. On cookies larger dogs than APBT, Ridgebacks a bit over 100 pounds at two thirds dosage they seemed fine. They also had a lot of fun on Psilocybin. They turned into lions, seriously. This was ages ago back in the 1980's. Funny thing with passive smoking some dogs and most cats seemed to home in on a session. I had an Akita in the 1990's that used to sit in front of me and bite at the smoke like he was trying to get it into him. I don't believe the tale in the article about Psilocybin in brownies. Once Psilocybin gets past boiling point (100C or 212F) it breaks down. I tried plenty of times to make magic mushroom cookies and it never worked. No matter how many mushrooms went in the only effect left was like insomnia without any psychedelic effect. Also Psilocybin only lasts about 6 hours when ingested. THC can last longer though if you eat enough via oil, ghee etc. I just wish we still had those magnificent Sativas around that were around in the 70's to early 80's. I'm digressing now.
     
    Harky, Jan 31, 2014
    #14
  15. ursaminor

    ursaminor Top Dog

    Wtf does the dog doing down the street in other peoples waste bin? Not a smoker here but there are far more dangerous/poisonous things in waste bins and it's the owner's responsibility to keep the dog out of it. Seems like Jill should of got hit with some charges and have her dogs taken from her right?
     
    ursaminor, Feb 1, 2014
    #15
  16. Mr.Revolution

    Mr.Revolution CH Dog

    All I no is my cat is a straight pot head.if u even think about lighting up he'll be there
     
    Mr.Revolution, Feb 1, 2014
    #16
  17. ElJay

    ElJay CH Dog

    my parent fed a pot brownie to their Irish setter and he started having seizures and was disoriented for a few days. So yeah, it can definitely happen. I think the problem is mostly with dogs ingesting it in higher amounts. Because when it's ingested, it is metabolized through the liver. I think when it's inhaled or absorbed through mouth membranes/skin, etc it bypasses the liver. So if dogs truly can't metabolize THC via the liver, I can see where it may cause problems when ingested vs other methods of distribution.
     
    ElJay, Feb 3, 2014
    #17
  18. old goat

    old goat CH Dog

    if that was true eljaybee the patches would do the same thing . i think it's more like they ate to much . when you do it's like cartoon land every things funny . and it does go right to the liver to break down . but they have the pain patch for cats to horses so i think they ate to many .
     
    old goat, Feb 3, 2014
    #18
  19. ElJay

    ElJay CH Dog

    a pain patch bypasses the liver as well, so it shouldn't have the adverse effects

    but note i did say ingesting in higher amounts.
     
    ElJay, Feb 3, 2014
    #19
  20. ElJay

    ElJay CH Dog

    absorption through the skin, mucous membranes, eyes, etc by-passes the liver. that's why some medications for people are only offered via patches, suppositories, nasal sprays, inhalers, sublingual tabs, etc. because it avoids first-pass metabolism through the liver.
     
    ElJay, Feb 3, 2014
    #20
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