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Denver vets seeing more dogs eating marijuana

Posted at 5:17 PM, Feb 26, 2014
and last updated 2014-02-26 17:17:25-05

An animal hospital in Denver is seeing an increasing number of dogs who have eaten edible marijuana, according to CBS Denver.

Since January 1st, VCA Alameda East Veterinary Hospital says dogs have been getting into their owner’s supply of marijuana, specifically edibles.

“What we are seeing is dogs getting into the baked products,” Dr. Kevin Fitzgerald told CBS Denver.

Fitzgerald recently contributed to a year-long study in Colorado that tracked marijuana exposure in dogs. It causes symptoms ranging from disorientation to seizures and temporary comas.

“The one thing we see with almost all of them is urinary incontinence when they eat a bunch of it,” said Fitzgerald.

Those symptoms don’t just last hours, they last days.

“Half-life for a dog is 72 hours, maybe 96, before it gets out of their system,” said Fitzgerald.

Fitzgerald said those worried about a pet’s recent exposure have a limited amount of time to take action before it’s too late. Doctors also suggest trying to keep their marijuana out of their pets reach.