A ferret’s penchant for cannabis edibles nearly killed the animal. What happened is a warning for other pet owners.
Veterinarians in the Washington State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital had quite a challenge on their hands when Vanilla the ferret was presented with a very low heart rate, barely breathing, displaying seizure-like activity and tremors, and bordering on comatose.
The owner though the ferret had been crushed by a recliner chair shortly before admission. But after the owner revealed three cannabis edibles containing “10 mg of cannabinoid[?] and 10 mg of cannabinol” each were missing and that another ferret in the household was lethargic but had a good appetite, the WSU team started to look at the possibility of marijuana toxicosis.
After confirming the presence of the intoxicating cannabinoid THC using an over-the-counter human test, the veterinarians treated Vanilla with an intravenous lipid emulsion, which binds with THC and helps clear it from the system, and the ferret was back to good health in four days. The owner reported the ferret appeared to be healthy and was doing well at home 30 days after discharge.
With the medical/recreational legalisation of cannabis in many US states, cannabinoid toxicosis is a growing issue; in animals as well as humans.
According to WSU, the Pet Poison Hotline reports that calls about marijuana poisoning, mostly involving dogs, increased 448% between 2017 and 2023. But it’s not just the THC that’s the issue. The artificial sweetener used in some edibles — called xylitol — is toxic to dogs.
The report’s authors state:
“Considering that cannabinoid-containing products are now widely available in North America, it is essential to consider cannabinoid toxicosis as a differential in pets with signs of diffuse dysfunction of the central nervous system.”
The full report on the case of cannabinoid toxicosis in Vanilla the ferret, which occurred in 2023, has been published in the Journal of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care.
Claudia Huerta, lead author of the paper, said pet owners who use cannabis should keep it stored where their pets can’t get at it. And if they do, it’s important to give veterinarians as much information as possible.
The authors point out that drug tests for THC-COOH (11-nor-9-carboxy-Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol), which is the cannabinoid metabolite detected by over-the-counter tests, are known not to be adequately sensitive for dogs.
Learn more about cannabis and pets.
