Cannabis-related pet exposures are on the rise, with cases doubling in recent years as more households keep THC products at home.
Edibles pose added dangers — from toxic ingredients like chocolate and xylitol to packaging that can cause serious blockages.
Quick action and honesty with your vet are critical, and safe storage is the best way to prevent emergencies in the first place.
With cannabis use becoming more mainstream, it’s showing up in more places than just adult routines. For pet owners, that shift is bringing an unexpected risk: a growing number of dogs and cats accidentally ingesting THC.
Veterinarians say these cases aren’t rare anymore. In fact, new data from Veritas Veterinary Partners shows cannabis-related pet toxicity cases have doubled in recent years, as more households keep edibles, oils, and other products within reach. And while many incidents are unintentional, the impact on pets can be serious — and frightening.
To better understand what’s behind the trend — and how pet owners can keep their animals safe — we spoke with Dr. Allison Rohde Newgent, DVM, DACVS, Medical Director of Greater Staten Island Veterinary Services, about the risks, warning signs, and what to do if exposure happens.
Know the signs
If you have cannabis in your home, it’s important to know the signs and symptoms that your pet may have been unintentionally exposed.
Dr. Rohde Newgent shared the biggest signs to look for:
Unsteadiness
Lethargy
Drooling
Vomiting
Changes in behavior, like unusual sensitivity to sound.
“In reality, most owners don’t come in saying ‘my pet ate cannabis,’” Dr. Rohde Newgent said. “They come in because their dog is wobbly, disoriented, and clearly not acting like themselves, and we have to decipher what that could mean.”
The biggest risks for your pets
How you consume cannabis can also impact your pet. For example, edibles pose a unique risk for household pets.
“The biggest risk with edibles isn’t always the THC,” Dr. Rohde Newgent explained. “As a board-certified veterinary surgeon, I’m often more concerned about the packaging than the cannabis itself.
“Wrappers and containers don’t pass easily, and we’ll see cases that come in as suspected toxicity that turn into a gastrointestinal obstruction requiring surgery. On top of that, many edibles contain ingredients like chocolate or xylitol (which has been rebranded as birch sugar or birch sap), which are also toxic to pets”
Be transparent with your vet
The Veritas Veterinary study found that nearly 40% of pet owners are too embarrassed to tell their vets the truth about what’s going on with their pets. However, Dr. Rohde Newgent says this can only increase the risks to your pet’s health.
“All treatment is more effective when pet owners lead with transparency, no matter the health issue,” she said. “If we don’t have an accurate history, it can delay diagnosis and make it harder to choose the most effective treatment quickly.
“There’s no judgment in these situations; our only priority is the pet. The more information we have upfront, the faster and more precisely we can act.”
Safe storage is key
If you do have cannabis – in any form – in your home, Dr. Rohde Newgent recommends safe storage to ensure pet safety.
“If your dog can reach it, they can eat it,” she said. “Treat cannabis like you would medication: locked up, out of reach and never left out. Edibles are especially risky because they smell like food, so keep them in secure containers and dispose of packaging right away.”
Additionally, if you have any concerns about your pet, go to the vet as soon as possible.
“If you think your pet got into cannabis, don’t wait,” Dr. Rohde Newgent said. “Call your veterinarian or a pet poison hotline and head in. Keep your pet calm and prevent further access, but skip home remedies. Getting guidance early makes a big difference. Most pets do well with prompt care, but evaluation by a veterinarian is still important.”