Veterinarians seeing more animals ingest marijuana
Officials urge prevention as legalization nears
More than just humans may be affected by the legalization of marijuana in Canada. Recent reports have indicated that some dogs are overdosing on the drug. Doctor Erin MacDonald, a veterinarian at the Summerside Animal Hospital, has seen two confirmed cases of marijuana overdoses in dogs due to accidental ingestions. “When I say confirmed it’s because the owner has said to me, ‘I know my dog ate it.’ But there are times where we can speculate that the dog or animal has gotten into something they shouldn’t have.”
There are tests that can be run to confirm marijuana toxicosis in animals, but most of the time the treatment to correct the problem won’t change, she added.
“It’s usually supportive care. Make sure the dog is hydrated, eating, those kinds of things. It’s just supporting the animal while the drug runs its course.” No matter what an owner thinks an animal may have gotten into, it never hurts to call a vet.
“There are a lot of things that can be done when it is reported or noticed right away rather than thought of in hindsight.” She also recommends pet owners check out the ASPCA website which details which substances and foods are harmful to animals, and how to proceed when if an animal becomes sick. MacDonald says with the legalization of marijuana coming, there is always a concern that it could increase the number of cases.
“It’s hard to say, but it’s on a lot of vets’ radar. Most times, we suspect what the animal has ingested because some owners may be embarrassed or afraid that if they tell us the animal ate marijuana, we’ll call the police.”
P.E.I. isn’t the only province to see animals ingest marijuana. According to a Canadian Press report this week, a Halifax area clinic saw five cases in 2017 and three in 2016.
In an interview with the news outlet, Dr. Jeff Goodall, a Bedford N.S. based veterinarian, said the tetrahydrocannabinol or THC in marijuana doesn’t make dogs high, but, rather, very sick.
It affects the neurological system and progress into tremors and seizures with some animals becoming comatose, he explained.
Rather than the THC making them high it causes confusion. In 2017, the AVC Veterinary Teaching Hospital at the University of Prince Edward Island saw eight suspected cases of marijuana toxicosis in dogs. Doctor Heather Gunn McQuillan, director of the AVC Veterinary Teaching Hospital, would not specify where they were from, but said the majority would have been from P.E.I. “Animals with marijuana toxicosis tend to have changes in mentation (mental activity). [They become] lethargic, dopey, drowzy, can be ataxic (stumbling, difficulty walking, lack of coordination), and may have increased vocalizations and urinary incontinence. They typically have a history of exposure to the substance, or a high degree of suspicion.”
But she doesn’t believe they are seeing an increased number.
“There have always been small numbers of cases each year. These cases in 2017 represented less than 0.2 per cent of our small animal caseload, so statistically it is hard to report a significant increase.” Both MacDonald and Gunn McQuillan say prevention and consulting a vet are the best courses of action.
Gunn McQuillan adds, “If an owner suspects their pet has been exposed to marijuana they should take the animal to their veterinarian. Veterinarians are not obligated to report cases to law enforcement and will treat the symptoms appropriately.