'Stoner Dog' Cases are Way Up, Vets Say
Veterinarians are reporting that "stoner dog" cases are way up. If you're wondering what a stoner dog is, it's exactly what it sounds like, dogs who get high off their owner's marijuana.
While a stoner dog may sound funny (there are actually quite a few stoner dog YouTube clips), the reality is that cannabis and your canine may be a bad mix. Marijuana can be extremely toxic for dogs, reports CBS.
As medical marijuana gains in popularity and acceptance, vets in Colorado say they have seen a spike in dogs getting stoned. Before, doctors say that they saw maybe a few cases a year.
Now, they say they see a stoned dog almost every day of the week.
When a dog gets high, it often acts a lot like a person high on marijuana. The dog can lose its fine motor control, making them wobbly, and they can become lethargic, reports CBS. While most dogs who get a hold of marijuana do survive, some vets believe that the drug is much more toxic to dogs with deaths even being reported.
Part of the problem seems to be the casual nature in which dog owners treat marijuana and baked goods containing pot, reports CBS. For example, while you are likely to keep your heart disease or cancer medication safely in your medicine cabinet, people are much more likely to leave weed or pot brownies lying around. As a result, dogs have been eating them.
Besides losing your dog to sickness or death by exposing them to marijuana, it's conceivable that a pet owner could be charged with animal abuse. Though we've heard of no such cases, dog owners should think twice about the potential of being charged with a crime.
People who use medicinal marijuana should treat it as any other prescription drug and keep the drug safe from dogs, small children, and anyone else. A stoner dog is potentially a dead dog, and man's best friend deserves better.
Related Resources:
- 'Stoner dog' epidemic sees dramatic rise in number of hospitalized pets (Yahoo!)
- Dog Custody Battle Has Cost NY Man $60K in Legal Fees (FindLaw's Law & Daily Life)
- TX Dog 'Lucky' Inherits Master's Huge Estate (FindLaw's Law & Daily Life)
