Dog owners know their pets love to nose around — it’s part of being a dog; but if it ever becomes legal to smoke marijuana in public in the D.C. region, that nosiness could cause a problem.
It already is a problem in New York City, where since 2021, it’s been legal to smoke a joint in any place where it is legal to smoke a cigarette.
Veterinarians and poison control facilities in New York City have noticed a steady increase in the number of cases of dogs accidentally eating cannabis products, according to the New York Times, and pet owners have resorted to a stern “leave it” more often than ever before, in hopes of preventing their dogs from getting stoned.
Veterinarians who used to see one case per month of a dog ingesting marijuana, now say they see several per week. The symptoms can include dizziness, difficulty walking, sleepiness and nausea, and often include dilated pupils.
The problem isn’t solely in New York. In the past six years, there’s been a 400% increase in calls about marijuana poisoning to the Pet Poison Hotline. According to the Times, last year the ASPCA’s Animal Poison Control hotline fielded almost 7,000 calls for marijuana toxicity — an 11% increase from the previous years.
Veterinarians report having seen dogs eat marijuana in several forms, including flower, discarded joints, edibles and vape cartridges. The sooner a pet owner can bring the dog to the vet, the greater the chance of removing the toxin through vomiting or an enema.
Depending upon the size of the dog and the amount of cannabis ingested, veterinarians interviewed for the report say most dogs recover, without last effects.
