Dog ate your Cannabis Edibles?

Man’s best friend has been guilty of eating homework, cash, and a slough of other “bad dog behaviors” for years. As a rise in popularity for thc cannabis edibles has hit the mainstream market a new cautionary tail* has pet owners experiencing the highs and lows of “My dog ate my thc edibles. What should I do?” Here are a few things to consider on how to handle your furry friends devouring your cannabis edibles. 

What to do when your Pup eats your marijuana edibles

In the event that your pooch devoured your thc edibles, the first thing you need to do is assess the ingredients in the cannabis edibles they have ingested. Aside from ingesting the Delta 9 thc you will want to check for ingredients such as dark chocolate, raisins, xylitol (artificial sugar), nutmeg and various nuts. A full list of ingredients to look out for can be found here. These ingredients can be poisonous to dogs and you should consider immediately taking them to your local vet. 

Figure out how much THC the dog consumed

Once you have established that your dog has not ingested any other potentially hazardous ingredients that could be life threatening then it's time to Figure out how many milligrams of THC, or other psychoactive cannabinoids such as Delta-8,10, HHC, or any other potentially psychoactive cannabinoid your pet ingested. Dogs actually have twice as many cannabinoid receptors in their systems as humans do meaning these little thc edibles on the market are much more potent for dogs to ingest than you and I. There is plenty of therapeutic value in giving dogs cannabinoids such as cbd tinctures but mostly hemp related not the high powered marijuana plants 

Do your best to figure out the dose your pet consumed. Once you have figured out how much THC has been eaten by your dog make a note of it in case you need to call the vet. Depending on the severity of how much THC was consumed whether it was one edible or an entire bag of thc edibles. 

What to do if my dog ate cannabis edibles?

Dogs are notorious for sniffing out food whether laced with cannabis or not and sometimes they get the best of us. It’s especially frustrating when they steal the medicated goods, because of course your edibles are now gone and you're concerned for your pets well being.

I have experienced this first hand, years ago my Chocolate Lab decided to snarf down an entire baggie full of “Special Fudge” off the counter that had approximately a quarter ounce worth of cannabis in them. It didn’t take long for her to start feeling the effects. Her experience led her to a very good nap, as a typically hyper labrador she didn’t move from under the kitchen table for hours feeling dizzy and disoriented. The worst of her symptoms was incontinence (she peed herself) and threw up several times. We just made her comfortable and made sure she had some fresh water nearby.

If you find your dog to be in a similar situation, do your best to put him/her in a safe, quiet, comfortable space. You may want to lay them on some old blankets and towels in case they throw up or urinate themself. As those can be typical side effects. 

Make sure your pet has water nearby and encourage them to drink water so they don’t get dehydrated. In severe cases they may need to be taken to the vet for IV fluids. 

The best thing you can do is just monitor your pet. Symptoms can last for hours if they do not seem to be getting better after 6 hours or so. Consider having them seen by the vet. Above all just let them rest and try not to yell at them for eating your edibles, they already feel bad enough. 

Type of edibles to be concerned with:

Cannabis edibles come in many different forms. Gummies, Chocolates, Cookies, Lollipops and so much more. Aside from the danger of your pet ingesting too much THC are the other ingredients in the edibles. Any edible that has high amounts of chocolate (especially dark) or xylitol known to be used as a natural sweetener can both be very toxic to dogs. If your pet has ingested an edible with these two highly toxic ingredients it is best to contact your veterinarian immediately or call the pet poison hotline at (855.764-7661)

Common Side effects of Dogs ingesting too much THC

• Sedation, lethargy
• Trouble walking 
• Incontinence (peeing)
• Vomiting
• Salvation (drooling)
• Noise sensitivity
• Seizure
• Glossy eyes
• Dazed and confused
• Variable heart rate
• Agitation
• Whining or crying
• Startled reactions
  

Different Types of Cannabis

Cannabis can come in a number of different forms, although psychoactive edibles are most dangerous to pets these other forms can also pose a threat and be kept out of reach from your animals. 

• Cannabis Plants 
• Dried flower and plant material 
• Vaporizers or E-cigs
• Waxes
• Oils 
• Edibles like gummies
• Beverages and teas
• Isolated powders
  

Tips for Keeping your Dog and family Safe

Best practices for ensuring your dog or kids do not eat your coveted stash of gummies or edibles is to keep them out of reach and in original child resistant packaging. Having a place where they can be locked up is best, or at the least hidden out of sight or reach from a child or pet. At KC Hemp Co. ® we use child resistant packaging with a double lined durable packaging making it difficult for a child or pet to break into the delta-9 gummies. We do this to ensure your products remain safe for your use only. 

CBD for Dogs

CBD or cannabidiol oil has become a common treatment for dogs who suffer from separation anxiety, ache joints and arthritis as well as many other similar ailments that us humans consume CBD for. Our popular KC Hemp Co.® dog tincture can be great for overanxious puppies to aging dogs needing a little pep back in their step. In the case of your dog consuming a THC product this tincture can help counteract the effect of the THC. CBD itself is an antagonist to THC. A reason they work so well together is CBD helps balance the psychoactive effects of THC. Meaning if your dog ingest THC and incurs negative side effects, this tincture can help curb the severity of the unwanted feelings your dog or cat may be experiencing. To use just squirt the dropper directly in the mouth for quickest absorption. 

How much CBD should I give my dog?

Wondering how much CBD you should give your dog? A good rule of thumb as a starting point is 1mg CBD for every 10 pounds of weight. This will be a low dose and you may need to gradually increase monitoring behaviors and pain management if that's what you're administering the CBD to your pet for.