Dogs Eating Marijuana

In Durango, Colorado about two cases of dog poisoning by marijuana consumption are occurring monthly, up from just one a year. The reason for the increase – medical marijuana access has expanded so dogs are exposed to more of it. Generally marijuana consumption by dogs doesn’t cause long-term health problems or deaths it is currently believed, but it does render them stoned and sometimes unable to walk, eat or drink properly. Once a dog eats marijuana, they typically require professional care. The marijuana effect depends upon the size of the dog, the amount they ate and the marijuana’s concentration.

Medical marijuana is placed in foods as a delivery method, and everyone knows dogs can’t resist food, so some times they are consuming their owners pot pain relief accidentally. A variety of foods can be used, and there is even a marijuana dispensary restaurant in Colorado called Ganja Gourmet offering brownies, medicated pizza, and pot pies, for example – just don’t bring dogs.

A veterinarian named Eric Barchas wrote on this website the symptoms of marijuana pet poisoning can be: “Anxiety, panting, and agitation commonly occur following exposure to marijuana. In some pets, marijuana toxicity results in profound lethargy that can border on unconsciousness.”

Has your pet ever eaten anything potentially dangerous?

Image Credit: O’Dea

Read more: Conscious Consumer, Wildlife

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

Tracey C.

6:22PM PDT on Mar 16, 2013

interesting article...people are not using this to get their pets drugged but for relief and there is documentation to back this..I have not tried it but if my dog was in pain and there was a way to ease it I would look into this. Thank you for article

March 16
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Laura S.

4:53AM PDT on Mar 16, 2013

That's disgusting.

Fi T.

3:19AM PDT on Mar 16, 2013

Is that safe enough?

Diane L.

3:15AM PDT on Mar 16, 2013

Shouldn't a topic be current before posting it in an article? this one is two years old and the writers has no facts to back up his obviously complete lack of knowledge on the subject. Veterinatians are suggesting it's use to address chronic pain, so it all depends on the quality of the pot, the size of the dog and how it's given. Put in a cookie or a brownie, half a cookie would be fine for a large dog of say, 50 - 75 lbs, but might render a Chihuahua limp as a mop for half a day. The medical dispensary near my house sells them in treat forms for dogs. They help a dog with anxiety and pain issues just calm down and be able to rest. My GSD has "Degenerative myalopathy" and she "forgets" where her back feet are. She stumbles and sometimes falls. No medicine can help, no surgery is available, and it's progressive. She frets, becomes anxious and doesn't want to lay down..........she doesn't sleep. WITH THC (in her food mixed in plain yogurt) she becomes calm and will sleep.

Robert O.

12:01AM PDT on Mar 16, 2013

Thanks Jake.

Patricia H.

1:43AM PST on Dec 18, 2012

thanks for the info

December 18
send a green star

Valentina R.

6:47PM PDT on Aug 8, 2012

*facepalm*

August 8
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Pat W.

12:52AM PDT on May 22, 2012

thank you for the awareness.In reading some of the comments...nothing was mentioned about the animals accidentally? getting laced pot. Still not right to do to any animal...

May 22
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Mari G.

2:47PM PDT on Apr 30, 2012

i had a friend who's dog ate part of her stash, the dog was fine, just stoned out of her mind and resting. if you have medicine around, dont leave it in a place a pet or child can easily get it, simple common sense.