The movement towards marijuana legalization gains momentum every day as more and more states loosen their criminalization laws governing the plant. As a result, marijuana edible sales are astronomical and have skyrocketed during the Covid-19 pandemic; more people are at home, and many people have pets.

With marijuana legalization and edible sales on the rise across the United States, it is no wonder the ASPCA Animal Poison Control has reported a 765% increase in marijuana cases involving pets between 2018 and 2019.

Before we get into the stuff that makes you double-check your stash security, the good news is marijuana generally has a “wide margin of safety.” This means it takes a considerable amount of the substance to be deadly.

“There’s nothing about that actual drug itself that will kill them,” says Dr. Dorrie Black, DVM, MPVM. “It doesn’t cause any organ failure. It doesn’t cause liver failure, renal failure.” However, this does not apply to all humans or animals as health conditions, weight, and age are factors that can cause varying effects. It also doesn’t mean that there aren’t dangerous, possibly lethal consequences that can occur as a result of marijuana consumption side effects.

When a pet ingests a significant amount of marijuana, whether in the form of a flower, concentrated oils, or foods such as an infused brownie or gummy candy, they can be sedated to the point that they become a physical hazard to themselves.

Pets can become uncoordinated and unstable on their feet after eating a marijuana product, which can result in stumbling and falling. Some stumbling and clumsiness may be considered entertaining to some people, but some falls can be fatal – down a set of stairs, for example. Their discombobulation is no joking matter.

Their reaction time slows down, and they may not react quickly enough to avoid a sudden danger: another animal, something falling, or a passing car.

Vomiting is a very common reaction to marijuana consumption in pets. If sedated enough, they may inhale their vomit and asphyxiate or create respiratory complications such as aspiration pneumonia.

Ingesting a chocolate marijuana edible can poison your pup simply from the chocolate alone because it contains a chemical called theobromine. Theobromine is very similar to caffeine, which is also in chocolate; both chemicals dogs cannot metabolize as well as humans. Theobromine and caffeine act as heart stimulants, blood vessel dilators, diuretics, and smooth muscle relaxants, and since dogs cannot process them well, they are especially sensitive to their effects.

Butter, raisins, and xylitol are also toxic to dogs, and marijuana-infused edibles containing them can cause vomiting, diarrhea, and dehydration.

Urine dribbling due to relaxed muscles not only makes messes in places you don’t want them but can also cause psychological stress to your diligently house-trained dog. Most dogs know accidents in the house are ‘bad’ and some dogs can feel heavy remorse after an accident, especially one they’re confused about and couldn’t control.

Nervousness is another side effect seen in house pets after marijuana consumption. When a dog or cat is nervous, it may make sudden or sporadic movements that can lead to injuries or other potentially harmful reactions towards other animals and humans, such as growling, snipping, or biting. These reactions, especially when they are out of character for your pet, are usually out of fear or confusion, and they are instinctually defending themselves. Unfortunately, dogs and cats can harm children and adults or themselves if they provoke a bigger and stronger animal.

What Does Marijuana Toxicity Look Like?

The symptoms of marijuana toxicity will become apparent within 30-60 minutes in most animals and can last anywhere from 18-36 hours. Unfortunately, there is no current remedy to reverse the effects of marijuana. The only way to get your pet through to the other side of their uncomfortable ‘high’ is supervised support.

You can call Poison Control for advice or your local veterinarian to schedule a visit.

In some extreme cases, treatment for marijuana toxicity in animals may include:

An intervention vet bill can cost you anywhere from a couple hundred to a thousand dollars, depending on what services they provide. Blood work and IVs can rack up a fairly costly bill.

No one wants to be out of their supply because their dog ate all of it or to be landed with a huge medical bill because of it. But inconvenience and money aside, marijuana toxicity is not a fun experience for pets and can have lasting psychological effects. There is also the risk of harmful or even fatal outcomes due to the side effects marijuana consumption can create.

With the rules around marijuana relaxing all over the country, let us all tighten up on safely and effectively securing these marijuana products so they don’t end up in vulnerable hands or paws.