As now cannabis is starting to be present in several homes, either because it is used in a recreational or therapeutic way, it’s a plant that can easily be within reach of our pets.
But, in the case that your pet has ingested a plant or any product with cannabis, it must be clear that this is a situation that needs to be addressed urgently by a veterinarian.
Marijuana intoxication in pets
The main problem with the ingestion of Cannabis by our pets is due to the THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol) that the plant contains and that it cannot be processed by the body of animals, to the extent that it could generate a severe intoxication and in some cases, this can cause death.
We must take into consideration that pets can have direct contact with cannabis if they inhale the smoke that is issued if there is consumption of cannabis, or if they eat any food that has as an ingredient cannabis and lastly, also by biting the leaves, flowers or any other part of the plant.
Most of the owners are careful that their pets don’t ingest but we must remember that pets are curious and they will possibly ignore all of our deterrents, mainly if these ones give off a pleasant smell and if they are hungry.
When a pet finds a bag with products or with brownies, it is sure that they will eat everything that is within their reach. But, we must also take into consideration that if we have the pet in the same room where someone is smoking, it will inhale the smoke and this won’t be beneficial.
Signs and symptoms that our pet has ingested Cannabis
If your pet has ingested cannabis, the effects will vary based on size and weight apart from the quantity ingested. It will also mainly depend if it has been eaten or it has been inhaled.
One of the more common signs is that your pet will present high level of anxiety, a low heart rate, depression and dilated pupils. Furthermore, it can also present tremors, lethargy and vomits. If it has been a big ingestion, there can be attacks and coma. The effects will begin to appear from 30 minutes after contact and it can last for 3 hours. In some occasions, there have been effects after 12 hours from ingestion.
