Health Hazards for Pets & Toddlers from Careless Disposal of Popular Drugs

The American Kennel Club sites the risks of dogs ingesting Cannabis and the THC attached to it.  Marijuana Poisoning in Dogs: Cannabis Intoxication in Pets (akc.org).  They also suggest the increase is a result of an increased demand for the "product".

A retrospective clinical study evaluated the trends of marijuana toxicosis in dogs living in a state with legalized medical marijuana usage between 2005 and 2010.

A survey of 222 of 251 veterinarians detailed their experience with dogs who had ingested cannabis:  Prevalence and characteristics of cannabis-induced toxicoses in pets: Results from a survey of veterinarians in North America | PLOS ONE

"The most common route of exposure was ingestion, while the most cited reason was ingestion while unattended."

The clinical signs that veterinarians reported to have observed most commonly (in decreasing order) were: 

• Urinary incontinence
• Disorientation
• Ataxia 
• Lethargy
• Hyperesthesia
• Bradycardia
• Stupor/obtundation
• Twitching (Table 1)

A small number of veterinarians reported witnessing other signs including head bobbing and hyperthermia.

• Cannabis toxicosis in pets were mostly likely caused by edibles and dried cannabis. 
• Other products reported by veterinarians to cause cannabis toxicosis were discarded joint butts, human feces, cannabis-infused butter/oil, and compost

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