Confessing that a pet may have munched on marijuana can be embarrassing, or even spark fears about possible penalties for animal owners.
But coming clean fast with a veterinarian is key to getting treatment that can save a pet’s life, and it’s unlikely an animal doctor would reveal confidential details of a patient’s case to law enforcement, experts told The Epoch Times.
With treatment, THC toxicity—a problem that’s sickening pets in exponentially growing numbers—is usually survivable. But the symptoms pets experience after eating marijuana can be terrifying, not to mention expensive, for owners, veterinarians say.
“It’s a problem that’s super-common and growing,” veterinarian Kelly Diehl, senior director of science and communication for the Morris Animal Foundation, told The Epoch Times. The 74-year-old foundation in Denver is the largest nonprofit dedicated to funding studies to improve and protect the health of companion animals and wildlife.
Marijuana is the dried material of the plant Cannabis sativa. Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is the plant’s natural compound that causes the “high” associated with marijuana use. It can be rolled and smoked like a cigarette, or packaged in a highly concentrated cartridge for vaping. Increasingly, THC is prepared for sale in edible treats: candies, cookies, gummies, butters and brownies, which seem especially appealing to the dogs and children that stumble upon them.
