By Deborah Taylor-French
Last week our dog got sick. He wobbled, swiped the air, jumped too high over things that were merely an inch under his feet. We couldn’t get him to drink any water.
So at 9:30 PM, we drove him to the closest all night veterinarian hospital. Our dog looked terrified, flinching and dodging when we reached out to him. He would not drink water and could not walk.
What Made Our Dog Sick?
I had two guesses. First, I feared he had ingested a toxic pet food and was suffering seizures. My second thought was that he had a serious neurological condition, such as a brain tumor.
Sydney’s best friend, Winnie, cried as we left to see a Vet.
Usually during every car trip, Sydney sits up excitedly, looking out the windows. He loves to bark riding in a car. He loves to go to parks, the beach and new places.
But that night, he hung his head on my lap, so like a very sick dog. At moments, Sydney seemed sleepy, but for no reason he would jerk alert and keep jerking as if going into an epileptic fit.
For several hours, our stomachs clenched while we waited for the doctor’s diagnosis.
THC Ingestion in Dogs is Toxic
Turns out Sydney tested positive for THC.
Luckily, his level tested as a mild level of toxic THC.
The Vet injected water under his skin so he could start to flush the drug out of his body. He only weighs 13 pounds, so a high-level would have meant he had to stay over night and suffer longer. We were so happy to take him home.
None of our family members use illegal drugs. None of us smoke or have friends who use.
In the morning, Marc found two wrappers. Bright and shiny from sweets, used by teens to roll cigars of weed.
Right now, I am super angry at this new product (aimed at kids). The more marijuana is treated as an okay and legal substance, the truth of the negative effects will be down played.
Keep Your Medical Marijuana from Pets
If you are a chronic pain sufferer, I can sympathize. I share your condition. I don’t use your baked “medicine” so please don’t drop your baked goods or ends of smoked weed on the ground where pets will eat it.
Dogs do not get “high”, in-fact the majority suffer the fear and anxiety of a bad trip.
Eric Barchas, DVM is a veterinarian who lives and works in the San Francisco Bay Area provides many free resources on his Website, including Marijuana Intoxication in Cats and Dogs. When you click the link, you can create a printable version.
Should Shiny Colorful Smoke Sweets be Sold for Children?
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“Swisher Sweets come in a variety of flavors including many fruit flavors and other sweet flavors. The flavoring comes from natural and artificial flavors and is located in the paper wrapping of the cigar or cigarillo. Because advocates argue that these flavors might make these tobacco products appealing to children, legislation was passed in 2009 that gives the U.S. Food and Drug Administration expanded powers to regulate flavored tobacco products. As of 2011, only flavored cigarettes have been banned. Because of its flavored wrappings, Swisher Sweets have long been popular with marijuana smokers, who remove the tobacco from the cigar and refill the flavored paper with marijuana.” EHow Swisher Sweet Ingredients
Cannabis poisoning
“Last month, Seattle resident Katherine Evans took her dog Abby on a long walk through the Arboretum and Montlake Playground. Three hours after the walk, Abby was vomiting, stumbling and twitching.”
What does marijuana do to dogs and cats?
“People know that it’s used for medicinal purposes, can be good for some people and is recreational, so they think it’s not a big deal for their pets,” she said. “People don’t leave antifreeze or chocolate on their coffee table, but, unfortunately, there’s not that same caution with marijuana.”
The bottom line? It’s better to be safe than sorry, Hackett said. Pack up the edibles and store them in a safe location — and call if your dog starts showing symptoms of marijuana toxicity.
Many symptoms correlate closely with antifreeze poisoning — a fatal ingestion if not treated right away. If you’re not sure what your dog got into, it’s always better to bring it in, he said.” CSU veterinarian and associate professor Timothy Hackett.
The Coloradoan, April 12, 2013