CHAGRIN FALLS, Ohio — There's a serious and unintended consequence of legalizing marijuana in states across the U.S.
Veterinarians and poison control hotlines are reporting huge spikes in calls about pets ingesting pot.
Poison control calls
"Dogs are more sensitive than humans are and so even just a very small amount of marijuana or the THC component can be very problematic," Dr. Renee Schmid said.
Schmid is a veterinary toxicologist at the Pet Poison Helpline, a 24/7 animal poison control service for pet owners and veterinarians that serves the U.S., Canada, and the Caribbean.
It found a 750% increase in calls related to pets ingesting pot between 2018 and 2022.
The ASPCA's hotline reported a 300 percent spike during the same time period.
Schmid said most of the calls to their helpline involved canines.
"For some reason, cats, I think they're just a little bit smarter.," she said. "They decided they don't want to be around it."
She also said most calls involved animals who ingested edibles.
"If it's a brownie, or a cookie, or chocolates, there aren't a lot of dogs that can resist that," Dr. Schmid said.
Anticipation in Ohio
The Pet Poison Helpline also looked at how many calls were coming from each of the states it serves.
It found calls about pets and pot have been rising in Ohio from year to year since at least 2018.
The most significant increase in calls occurred between 2020 and 2021. During that year, which was the height of the pandemic, there was a 119.6% increase in calls about pets and pot from the Buckeye State.
Schmid said she expects even more calls to the helpline now that marijuana is legal in Ohio.
"As each state become legalized, we definitely see a jump in calls in animals being exposed to marijuana," she said. "I expect to see our call volume to really increase or at least with the exposure calls with marijuana to increase pretty significantly."
Dr. Carol Osborne, an integrative veterinarian who runs the Chagrin Falls Pet Clinic in Chagrin Falls, also expects more calls from concerned pet parents whose animals accidentally ingested pot.
After all, she said she had already noticed a spike in calls, even before Ohio voters approved a ballot initiative to legalize marijuana in November.
She described a case two weeks ago where a dog ingested so much marijuana that it had to be hospitalized and put on IV hydration therapy.
"When they (the pet's owners) called me, it was about two o’clock in the morning," she said. "They were frantic and I was asleep."
She said the dog was acting like it experienced a stroke.
"Which is very concerning to anyone," she said. "Staggering and stumbling, a lot of times they’ll cross over with their legs."
Osborne said other symptoms include the following:
- lethargy
- sensitivity to noise
- dilated pupils
- dribbling urine
Osborne said some animals will be agitated or excited.
She said most cases are mild or moderate, and pets are back to normal within 72 hours.
However, in severe cases, the symptoms can be serious.
"If they (a pet) ate a couple trays of brownies, they could go into epileptic seizures and even a coma," she said.
Protect you pet
She also said if there is a pot in your house, your pet will find it.
"When you or I walk in the room, we see the room," she said. "But when your pet walks in the room, they smell the room."
So, how do you protect your pet?
Schmid and Osborne both recommend keeping a closer eye on your dog and other pets during outdoor walks and limiting their time off-leash.
In your home, treat marijuana like it's a medication. Keep it securely locked and out of reach—so your pets can't get their paws on it.
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