According to an ASPCA report, there has been a 765% increase in calls regarding pets who have been poisoned by marijuana.
The ASCPA Poison Control Center, which is a 24-hour hotline, received 208 marijuana-related calls in 2008, 979 in 2016, and 1,486 in 2017. Last year the center received 1,800. In ten years the amount of calls has increased by over 760%.
Dr. Tina Wismer, the ASPCA call center’s medical director, spoke to Mashable and said that even though there’s been less stigma around marijuana due to legalization and decriminalization, it may be leading to an increase in calls. Itt’s also the sheer availability and amount of weed and edibles.
“Dogs, oh my gosh, especially [with] the chocolate-based edibles, the number of those calls has skyrocketed,” Wismer said.
According to the Pet Poison Helpline, common symptoms of marijuana toxicity include sedation/lethargy, dilated pupils or glassed over eyes, dazed expression, difficulty walking and vomiting.
