Chemical
Cannabis
Contact a vet immediately — honesty about what was eaten gets faster, better care.
SevereDogsCats
Illustrative cover using relevant category imagery; it does not depict the exact subject.
What to do right now
- 1.Remove access to more
- 2.Keep the animal in a quiet, safe space
- 3.Call your vet and say exactly what was consumed
Symptoms
- Wobbliness and disorientation
- Dribbling urine
- Dilated pupils
- Extreme drowsiness
- Vomiting
- In severe cases: tremors, seizures and coma
Details
- Category
- Chemical
- Toxicity
- Severe
- Species affected
- Dogs, Cats
- Routes of exposure
- Eating edibles, plant material or discarded joints; inhaling heavy smoke. Edibles often also contain chocolate or xylitol, compounding the danger.
- Urgency
- Contact a vet immediately — honesty about what was eaten gets faster, better care.
Veterinary notes and prevention
Vets are not interested in reporting you — they need the truth to treat safely. Most dogs recover with supportive care, but edibles with xylitol or chocolate change the picture.
Prepare the information your vet needs
- For Cannabis, report the exposure route: Eating edibles, plant material or discarded joints; inhaling heavy smoke. Edibles often also contain chocolate or xylitol, compounding the danger. Tell the clinic the time, possible amount and your pet's species and approximate weight.
- Photograph the packaging, ingredient list or plant if safe. Do not handle contaminated material without protection or delay the call to identify it perfectly.
- Keep other animals away from the source. An animal may appear normal before signs develop; do not wait for symptoms or calculate a home 'safe dose'.
- Follow the clinic's transport instructions. Do not give food, medicines or home remedies unless instructed, and take packaging with you if available.
Educational reference, not an individual diagnosis or a verified professional review. Read our editorial policy.
Sources on this topic
Pages on this specific subject from recognised organisations. They are cited for further reading and do not mean the organisation has reviewed this page.
- Marijuana: toxicity to pets — Pet Poison Helpline
- Toxic and Non-toxic Plants: Marijuana — ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center
Guidance libraries and further reading
These organisations publish relevant guidance. Their links are further reading, not evidence that they have reviewed this page.