For a lot of people who use medical cannabis, they probably know about being high, and the cannabis that you consume. You may wonder if it affects dogs though and if it’s bad. This is something that’s definitely been questioned by many, and with more people accidentally exposing their dogs to cannabis in both an intentional and unintentional manner, it’s important to know the answers to this. 

What happens when a Dog Has Marijuana 

The cannabis does impact different centers within the brain. Pets have this too, and dogs especially, so they can feel high too. While the high is oftentimes good for dogs in their minds, it can sometimes get very intense much quicker, which is why the dosage for these products is not safe for dogs.  They also have the highest amount of cannabinoid receptors within the brain, which makes the psychoactive effects that much more prominent. 

This can cause a lot of effects in dogs, including lethargy, hyperactivity, vomiting, incontinence, respiratory issues, seizures, and abnormal heart rate. Luckily, this lasts usually less than 24 hours. 

Is it Toxic? 

This is something that isn’t toxic. While medical marijuana has too much THC for a dog to have safely, the margin is quite high. However, there are instances where pets have died because of this, and they’re becoming more common since the potency of this is increasing. That’s why we don’t want pets to be exposed to THC period, in order to be kept safe. 

The most potent Cannabis 

Right now, there’s a ton of cannabis strains that are definitely high in potency. The rule of thumb is that the higher the potency is, the riskier it is for anyone to consume, dogs especially. Marijuana that’s medical-grade are some of the most potent out there so the amount that a pet needs to have is something that’s quite small, less than you might think. While it may be something that is not really on your radar, it’s important to make sure that you don’t do it. 

As a rule of thumb, edibles are by far the riskiest, since the THC in this is far more concentrated than if they get secondhand smoke, and also has other toxins that are quite bad for dogs, including chocolate. 

Pet toxicosis 

This is when a pet is exposed to some kind of toxin, usually by inhalation or ingestion. This is something that’s been increasing quite a bit with the legalization of cannabis. This is because they’re exposed to the medical-grade stuff, which is more potent, and it can increase those effects dramatically. Most of the side effects of this, including a death and coma, were not heard of usually, until there was higher potency products, especially medical cannabis, since that’s something that’s very potent for most dogs. 

So is it safe for them to be around it? This is oftentimes the question. Ideally no, but if you have CBD products that are only CBD, then yes, a dog can have it.  Dogs can have an edible so long as it doesn’t have THC in it (and of course doesn’t include chocolate). This is because THC is something that activates those CB1 receptors. CBD only activates your CB2 receptors, and it’s something that’s around the body. so if you’re worried about it possibly harming the dog, you don’t have to fret. This is much safer for a lot of dogs, and it’s the option for those pets who have anxiety, seizures, cancer, and even chronic pain, as this can be something that can impact a dog’s health and wellness as well.