🌿 My Dog Ate Weed. Is It an Emergency?
Dogs have far more cannabinoid receptors in the brain than we do, so a dose that relaxes a person leaves a dog staggering, dribbling urine, flinching at sounds and swaying with a slow heart and a low temperature. On its own, cannabis very rarely kills a dog; the deaths in the literature involve concentrated products and edibles that also contained chocolate or xylitol. Tell the vet the truth. Nobody is reporting you.
Cannabis dose checker
Your dog's weight plus what went in gives the dose per kilo and the urgency. Estimating? Assume the worst case.
How dangerous is cannabis for dogs?
Less lethal than the internet suggests and more miserable than owners expect. Dogs are much more sensitive to THC than people (more CB1 receptors in the brain), so signs appear at tiny doses, but the reported minimum lethal dose is enormous (over 3 g of THC per kg) and deaths are rare. Poison-line data show a steep rise in cases as edibles and concentrates have become common, and those are where the serious cases sit: a brownie brings chocolate and butter, a gummy may bring xylitol, and concentrates deliver doses that flower cannot. Second-hand smoke can cause mild signs in small dogs in a closed room.
Symptoms and timeline
| Time after eating | What you may see |
|---|---|
| 30 to 90 minutes | Wobbly walk (ataxia), glassy or wide eyes, startling at sound or touch, dribbling urine, drooling, vomiting, slow heart rate, low body temperature, either very sleepy or agitated. Onset is faster with smoke, slower with edibles. |
| Peak: 6 to 12 hours | Worst of the ataxia and sedation. Severe cases: cannot stand, very slow heart, coma, seizures (rare, mostly concentrates and edibles). |
| 18 to 72 hours | Gradual recovery. THC is fat-soluble, so signs outlast a human high by a day or two. |
What the vet will do
Induce vomiting only if it was very recent and the dog is still alert (THC suppresses vomiting and a sedated dog can inhale it), activated charcoal, IV fluids, warming, anti-nausea drugs, and monitoring of heart rate and temperature until steady. Severe cases get intravenous lipid emulsion to soak up THC. There is no antidote and no reason to hide the cause: an honest history saves your dog a battery of tests for the things it looks like (antifreeze, sedative overdose, brain disease).
What to do right now
- Work out the form (flower, edible, butter, concentrate) and the amount, and grab any packaging.
- Call your vet or a poison line: Pet Poison Helpline (US/CA) 855-764-7661 · ASPCA Animal Poison Control 888-426-4435 · Animal PoisonLine (UK) 01202 509000 · Ireland and elsewhere: your vet or the nearest emergency clinic. Poison lines charge a fee; they are worth it.
- Keep your dog warm, quiet and off stairs; do not offer food until steady; do not induce vomiting in a wobbly dog.
- Go now for edibles, concentrates, small dogs, large amounts, or a dog that cannot stand or is very slow to respond.
Cannabis FAQ
Can a dog die from eating weed?
Very rarely from cannabis alone; the lethal THC dose is enormous. The deaths on record mostly involve concentrates or edibles that also contained chocolate, xylitol or a lot of fat, or aspiration in a heavily sedated dog. Treat it seriously, but do not panic.
How long does weed poisoning last in a dog?
Signs start within 30 to 90 minutes, peak around 6 to 12 hours and fade over 18 to 72 hours. Edibles last longer than flower.
What are the signs a dog ate weed?
Wobbly, wide-eyed, startles at noise, dribbles urine, drools, slow heart, low temperature, very sleepy or agitated, sometimes vomiting. Urine dribbling plus flinching is the classic combination vets recognise on sight.
Should I tell the vet my dog ate cannabis?
Yes. Vets are not obliged to report it and will not; what they need is a clear history so they can skip the tests for the diseases it mimics and start supportive care straight away.
Is CBD oil dangerous for dogs?
Pure CBD is low-risk (drowsiness, upset stomach). The danger is THC content in products that are not what the label says, and xylitol in some gummies. Check ingredients and call if your dog is wobbly.
Related
Sources: Merck Veterinary Manual, Cannabis (Marijuana) Toxicosis in Animals; Pet Poison Helpline marijuana guidance (signs, timeline, edibles and concentrates); ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center case data on cannabis exposures; Meola et al., evaluation of trends in marijuana toxicosis in dogs, J Vet Emerg Crit Care 2012. Thresholds are population figures for otherwise healthy adult animals; puppies, kittens, seniors and animals with kidney, liver or heart disease can be affected at lower doses. Last reviewed August 2026.