It’s neither fun nor funny to get your dog high.

As marijuana becomes legal in more states, more people are comfortable using it and making their use known. That’s fine. This isn’t about judging people who engage in the use of weed for personal entertainment or medical reasons. This is about reminding people that they it’s not good to get your dog high. It’s not harmless fun.

Sometimes your dog may get stoned even if you didn’t do it on purpose. More dogs, and cats too, are making a visit to the vet after finding and ingesting their owners’ stashes. The vets say it’s not amusing to see a dog high on marijuana and there are health risks. It can be toxic.

A dog’s reaction to marijuana varies. Body weight and how much of it the dog consumes can make a big difference. The smaller the dog and the more it eats or inhales can increase the severity of the reaction.

Most dogs will be fine as the effects work its way out of their system but be aware of the signs of toxicity. If your dog disturbed your stash more than just a little get him to the vet if you notice:

  • unusual lethargy
  • dilated pupils or glassed over eyes
  • dazed expression
  • difficulty walking
  • vomiting
  • abnormal heart rate
  • whining or crying
  • dribbling urine
  • agitation
  • trouble regulating temperature indicated by panting or shivering

In other words, if Fido starts acting like a drunk or a stoner he may have toxicity issues and need a veterinarian’s care. You can call the Pet Poison Helpline that serves the U.S. and Canada for assistance.

If you catch your pet in the act of eating your pot or your pot-laced food you can induce vomiting by giving it hydrogen peroxide. The rule of thumb is 1 teaspoon (5 ml) for every 10 pounds of body weight. It’s a good idea to have a dosing syringe handy. If you think it’s been more than 2 hours since your dog got into the marijuana don’t bother inducing vomiting. It’s already had a chance to get into his system.

Your dog will probably be fine after the marijuana works its way out of his system but in some cases your dog could have seizures or go into a coma. If that happens get your pet to the vet ASAP.

Perhaps the bigger problem for your dog isn’t the pot. It’s the brownies or candy that was laced with pot. Chocolate can be toxic to some dogs and fats such as oil or butter with which the brownies were made can sicken a dog. Dogs may not eat much pot, but when it’s candy made with pot they may gobble a lot.

Again, it’s mostly a matter of how much the dog ate and how big the dog is. A visit to the vet may not be necessary, but it’s a good idea to call your vet or the Pet Poison Hotline for advice. It’s an even better idea to carefully store your weed and edible marijuana where it’s absolutely unavailable to your dog. One more good idea is don’t smoke your pot in the same room as your dog.