Marijuana Poisoning in Pets

The legalization of marijuana for medical use occurred first in California in 1996 and was voter-approved for recreational use in 2016.⁵ Now marijuana laws are changing across all 50 states and each state has varying degrees of legality, including fully legal for medical and recreational use (23 states as well as Washington D.C. and Guam), legal for medical use, and decriminalized (6 states), legal for medical use but not decriminalized (8 states), decriminalized but fully illegal including no medicinal use (2 states) while others have decriminalized it and allow the use of cannabidiol (CBD) products such as oil with no tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) content (7 states), and in the remaining states marijuana use is completely illegal (4 states). With recreational marijuana use now legal in 23 states, US veterinarians have seen an increase in marijuana poisoning in pets.¹ This is likely in part due to the increasing availability of access for pets in the home, and the willingness of owners to admit to their pets’ had access to the drug due to its more widely accepted legality.¹ Marijuana poisoning is most reported in dogs but has also been observed in cats. The most common exposure is ingestion^1,4 and while most pets recover entirely, this toxicosis can be expensive and, in rare cases, without treatment could potentially lead to the death of a pet.

Exposure

The toxic substance for pets is the tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) present in marijuana products.² If the pet is exposed to THC via inhalation, symptoms may present within less than 30 minutes, but most exposure is through accidental ingestion, where symptoms may not be present until 30 minutes or more after exposure. With the increase in the availability and variety of edible marijuana products, there is also the risk that the product contains other toxic substances, like chocolate or xylitol, (for more information on these toxicities, please see Pet Poison Awareness Blog) in addition to THC.¹

An unsung hero within the BSM Partners’ consulting firm is the Critical Service Team. This team is highly experienced in supporting pet owners and manufacturers with adverse events and health issues. In this time when CBD products for pets are unregulated and understudied, the risk of accidental marijuana toxicity is a present threat to pets. The team can offer veterinary support for even the most difficult issues and help all parties reach a mutual understanding of complex and emotional situations.

Symptoms

The symptoms of marijuana poisoning are primarily neurological, with the most common being signs of stumbling or ataxia, agitation, dilated pupils, lethargy, and about 50% of cases will exhibit urine dribbling or incontinence.¹ However, THC toxicity does have the potential to cause respiratory depression, seizures, and coma, so treatment by a veterinarian is recommended.³ While the signs of poisoning usually last about 24 hours, it can take as long as 3 or 4 days to fully recover from exposure as the THC is stored in fat.

Treatment

Treatment is aimed at supportive care. Pets may require thermoregulatory support, IV fluids, sedation, and activated charcoal which binds the toxic principle and make it unavailable to the pet to absorb. In extreme cases, intralipid therapy has successfully been used to bind the lipophilic THC and reduce the clinical signs of intoxication.⁴ Pets are usually stable enough for discharge after 24-36 hours of supportive care.

Prognosis

With proper veterinary treatment and supportive care, the prognosis for marijuana poisoning is very good, and most pets will completely recover from intoxication. Yet, the prevention of exposure is the best precaution to take. To prevent accidental ingestion, be sure to keep all marijuana products out of reach of pets and in closed containers to avoid this preventable intoxication.

References

1. Amissah, Richard Quansah, et al. “Prevalence and Characteristics of Cannabis-Induced Toxicoses in Pets: Results from a Survey of Veterinarians in North America.” PLOS ONE, edited by Benito Soto-Blanco, no. 4, Public Library of Science (PLoS), Apr. 2022, p. e0261909. Crossref, doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0261909.
2. Gyles C. Marijuana for pets? Can Vet J. 2016 Dec;57(12):1215-1218. PMID: 27928166; PMCID: PMC5109620.
3. Berger, Sarah. “Cannabis Toxicity in Dogs and Cats | Cannabus in Dogs and Cats | Cannabis (Marijuana) Toxicity in Dogs and Cats | Cannabis in Dogs | Marijuana in Dogs | Cannabis in Cats.” MedVet, https://www.facebook.com/medvetforpets/, 11 Mar. 2018, https://www.medvetforpets.com/cannabis-marijuana-toxicity-dogs-cats/.
4. Fitzgerald KT, Bronstein AC, Newquist KL. Marijuana poisoning. Top Companion Anim Med. 2013 Feb;28(1):8-12. doi: 10.1053/j.tcam.2013.03.004. PMID: 23796481.
5. Hartman, Michael. “Cannabis Overview.” Legislative News, Studies and Analysis | National Conference of State Legislatures, 31 May 2022, https://www.ncsl.org/civil-and-criminal-justice/cannabis-overview#:~:text=On%20Nov.,tax%20marijuana%20in%20the%20state.

 

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About the Author

Dr. Katy Miller works as the Director of Veterinary Services at BSM Partners. She earned her veterinary degree at Ross University and completed her clinical year at Louisiana State University. She previously served for 11 years as the Director of Dog and Cat Health and Nutrition for Mud Bay where she earned multiple certifications and specialized in pet food nutriton, prior to which she practiced general and emergency medicine for seven years. She is also a competitive three-day eventer, licensed falconer, and claims only two (Golden and Mini Doxie) of their nine dogs.