The RSPCA has warned dog owners to take their pets to the vets immediately if they’ve eaten cannabis gummies.
The RSPCA has warned dog owners to take their pets to the vets immediately if they’ve eaten cannabis gummies discarded in public
According to the Veterinary Poisons Information Service (VPIS), more than 450 dogs having undergone treatment in the past four years for ingesting marijuana, with roughly one case in seven involving candy that contains the drug.
Now, the RSPCA have warned dog owners to give their fury friends immediate medical attention if they have ingested one of these 'gummies'.
A spokesperson for the organisation said: “Dogs can be very motivated to eat food they find on the ground.
"The dangers of a dog consuming cannabis include over-stimulation and high temperature – they may require intravenous fluids. It is vital the dog is taken to a vet immediately.”
The VPIS revealed cases in cannabis poisoning in dogs have risen to 119 in the last year, compared to 82 in 2020.
Service head Nicola Robinson theorised the number of canine poisoning cases is likely to be higher, as not every instance is reported to the organisation.
She said: “Not all animal poisoning cases are reported to us. So these are not a completely accurate representation of numbers.”
With many calling for the decriminalisation of the recreational use of drug in the UK, some fear the country could face similar consequences to the US - where canine poisonings tripped to over 6,000 cases in the last five years after cannabis began to be legalised across the nation in 2012.
Tagged in Pets