How to Keep Your Pet out of the Cemetery: What Happens If a Dog Eats Weed?

How to Keep Your Pet out of the Cemetery: What Happens If a Dog Eats Weed?

my dog at my marijuana

Not all cannabis products are safe for pets, so keep your stash out of their reach. This is what happens if a dog eats weed and what to do about it.

You're probably well aware of the fact that dogs shouldn't eat marijuana. However, knowing that dogs shouldn't eat marijuana doesn't necessarily mean that you prevented your dog from eating marijuana. In fact, more and more dogs seem to be getting into cannabis these days.

Has your pup, in fact, swallowed your marijuana? Wondering what happens if a dog eats weed? This guide has you covered.

What Happens if a Dog Eats Weed?

There is some debate as to whether marijuana can be beneficial for dogs. After all, there is CBD oil for dogs and cats. It wouldn't be all that strange for marijuana to have benefits as well.

However, there's one thing for certain — when eaten in large amounts, marijuana has ill effects on dogs. A number of different things can happen if a dog eats weed, some of which are minor problems and some of which are dire. Below, we're going to discuss these different problems in detail.

Lethargy

The first thing you'll notice about a dog after it's eaten weed is that it's lethargic. Marijuana has many of the same effects on dogs as it does on human beings, thus lending itself toward laziness in dogs.

While lethargy in your dog is a cause for concern, it's not quite something to run to your vet over. We recommend looking after your dog for the next few hours to assess whether or not the lethargy gets any worse. If it does, and if other negative effects start to present themselves as well, a trip to the vet is warranted.

Loss of Balance

Another effect that marijuana tends to have on dogs is a lack of balance. If you notice your dog staggering, stumbling, or struggling to walk in a straight line, he or she is undoubtedly feeling the effects of the cannabis that he or she ate.

Just as with lethargy, a loss of balance should be looked after closely but is not necessarily a reason to bring your dog to the vet. Odds are, the effects will wear off within a few hours.

Breathing Difficulty

In some cases, dogs which have recently swallowed marijuana will have trouble breathing. Either their breathing will get harder, get faster, or get slower.

This is a cause for concern, one which calls for an emergency trip to the local vet. While your dog's breathing difficulties could be temporary, you don't want to take the risk. A vet will be able to perform extreme treatments in the event that they're necessary.

Incontinence

Another effect that a dog might experience after eating cannabis is incontinence. In other words, your dog might start peeing uncontrollably after having swallowed your weed.

Incontinence is rarely a good sign. It's usually indicative of sickness of some kind. Note, however, that it's not necessarily a sign of a dire problem.

The odds are — if your dog has incontinence after eating weed — that the uncontrollable urination will cease after the effects of the weed have worn off. With that being said, it wouldn't be a bad idea to see the vet.

Paranoia

The vast majority of marijuana users have experienced cannabis-induced paranoia at some point in their lives. Unfortunately, this paranoia is capable of creeping up in dogs as well.

Signs of weed-induced paranoia in dogs include pacing back and forth, barking relentlessly, whining, attempting to escape, and chewing on one's legs. In essence, paranoia will present itself as extreme anxiety.

In most cases, it's okay to wait for a few hours until this paranoia wears off. However, if your dog's symptoms are extreme, or if they haven't worn off after 3 to 4 hours, the attention of a vet is probably needed.

Blood Pressure Issues

Another effect that a dog might feel after eating weed is a change in blood pressure. Marijuana can cause blood pressure to both increase and decrease, both of which can be dangerous for a dog.

If you're able to take your dog's blood pressure, you're advised to do so. If it's extraordinarily high or low, you should get your dog to vet as soon as possible.

Seizure

Unfortunately, some dogs which have eaten marijuana have then suffered seizures. As you might know, seizures can be deadly to dogs, and must, therefore, be taken very seriously. Not to mention, if not treated, they can lead to serious brain damage.

You probably don't need to be told this, but if your dog goes into a seizure, you need to get him or her to your veterinarian immediately. With any luck, the seizure will stop on its own. However, if it doesn't, medical measures will be needed.

Coma

If your dog ate a particularly large amount of marijuana, there's a possibility that he or she could go into a coma. When eaten in levels of over 3 grams/per 2 pounds of dog, marijuana can become exceedingly toxic. While this is, admittedly, a great deal of weed, there are dogs which have swallowed this much at one time.

Small dogs are particularly susceptible to being comatose, as they only need to eat a few grams in order to experience that level of toxicity. So, if your dog weighs less than 20 pounds, and if you had a particularly large stash of weed in your house, you need to take your dog to the vet immediately.

Death

In the most severe of cases, marijuana consumption can result in the death of a dog. Note again, however, that the amount of weed a dog would have to eat to reach this level is substantial.

So, unless your dog ate 3 grams of weed per 2 pounds of body weight, you needn't worry too much. Just watch out for the effects reviewed above and make an assessment based on that.

What to Do if Your Dog Eats Weed

Finding out that your dog ate weed can be scary and stressful. However, it's important that you keep your cool. If you find that your dog did, indeed, eat marijuana, you should do the following.

Monitor Your Dog's Behavior

If your dog ate only a small amount of marijuana (a few ounces), you're advised to just follow him or her around for the next few hours. Odds are, your dog will be okay. He or she might be lethargic and might have trouble keeping his or her balance, but will likely be back to a normal state in a short time.

Note, however, that if your dog's condition worsens, it's wise for you to take action. Simply monitoring your dog won't mean much if he or she needs intensive medical assistance.

Take Your Dog to the Vet

If your dog's symptoms are any worse than lethargy or a loss of balance, you need to get him or her to the vet right away. If you get started soon enough, your vet might be able to induce vomiting in your dog. This can reduce the level of toxicity in your dog's body, eliminating the risk of major effects.

In more serious cases — if your dog is experiencing seizures, for example — your vet will be able to provide emergency medical measures.

Avoiding the Problem in the Future

You've made it through this scare. The weed has gone through your dog's system, and your dog is acting normal once more. Now, all that's left to do is to make sure this never happens again.

To avoid this problem in the future, you're advised to:

Keep Your Weed Locked Away

If a dog has any conceivable chance of getting into something, he or she will get into it. This is the nature of dogs. For this reason, you need to keep your marijuana locked away whenever you're not around.

Don't leave your weed for even a few seconds. A few second's time is all a dog needs to consume substantial amounts of marijuana. Keep it in an odor-killing storage entity and lock it in a desk, cupboard, or cabinet.

Keep Only Small Amounts of Weed in Your Home

If you want to eliminate all chance of your dog dying from marijuana consumption, you're advised to keep only small amounts of weed in your house at once. Keeping no more than a gram on hand will ensure that your dog suffers only minor effects.

Talk to Your Housemates About Safely Storing Weed

Lastly, if you live with roommates, you need to have a talk with them about safe marijuana storage. Your safeguarding efforts won't mean anything if your dog eats your roommate's weed instead. It's doubtful that your roommates want anything happening to your dog either.

Learn More About Weed Now

Now that you know what happens if a dog eats weed, you might be on the search for some more marijuana-related information. If so, you're in the right place. Cannabis.net has all the information you need.

Whether you're looking to learn about strains, jobs, or other weed-related information, our site has you covered.

Take a look at our blog now!