Increase in Animals Poisoned by Marijuana, New Study Finds

A new study has revealed that more pets are being exposed to and poisoned by marijuana plants and edibles than ever before.

Source: WCVB Channel 5 Boston/Youtube

A survey of veterinarians in the United States and Canada found that cases of cannabis poisoning are increasing. The study, published on PLOS ONE, was released on April 20th, 2022, a popular marijuana day when many engage in consumption. Hopefully, the study’s findings will encourage people to be extremely safe and vigilant when they have these drugs around animals.

Pets that are exposed to cannabis, most commonly by ingesting it, can experience cannabis poisoning or cannabis-induced toxicosis. Richard Quansah Amissah from the Ontario Veterinary College at the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada, and his colleagues analyzed survey data from 251 veterinarians based in Canada or the United States in 2021. The survey included questions about cannabis poisoning cases encountered by participants over several years.

The data analysis found that the number of cannabis poisoning cases jumped after the 2018 legalization of cannabis in Canada. The most common cause was the ingestion of cannabis edibles.

Most often, cannabis poisoning was seen in dogs, but there were also reported cases in cats, iguanas, ferrets, horses, and cockatoos. Common symptoms include urinary incontinence, disorientation, and abnormally slow heart rate. Nearly all of the animals recovered, but pets died in a small number of cases.

The studies authors add, “This is an important topic to study in the light of recent legalization of cannabis in Canada and across multiple states. In order to understand the mechanisms underlying cannabis-induced toxicosis in pets, and to develop treatments for it, we need to first understand what it looks like; this is what we had hoped to accomplish with this survey, and believe that these findings will help us get a better handle on this under-studied topic.”

With cannabis consumption rising, there needs to be more research into the effects of cannabis on pets and better efforts and policies to keep animals safe and healthy. Always keep these things locked away from your pets and keep them safe!

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