My dog ate cannabis (THC) – what should I do?

Updated 2026-09-30 · 4 sources

Based on: US FDA – Center for Veterinary Medicine, Animal PoisonLine (UK, VPIS), Pet Poison Helpline

Call a vet today

Call your vet today for advice – don't wait until signs appear. Clinical signs have been reported at THC doses as low as 0.3 mg/kg.

What to do now

What to do right now

Call your vet or the nearest emergency vet.
Note what was eaten, how much and when.
Bring the packaging.
Keep your pet calm.
Remove what is left.

Don't

Do not make your pet vomit unless a vet tells you to.
Do not give any human medicine.

Why it can be dangerous

Clinical signs have been reported at THC doses as low as 0.3 mg/kg.^[4] Cannabis ingestion can lead to stomach upset, neurological signs and uncontrolled urination; severe signs may also include collapse, seizure and difficulty breathing.^[3] These effects are expected within a few hours of eating, and pets may be very poorly for several days after.^[2]

Signs to watch for

Stomach upset
Stumbling
Dazed behaviour
Aggressive behaviour
Sudden flinching
Uncontrolled urination
Collapse or seizure
Difficulty breathing

Signs are expected within a few hours of eating, and a pet may be very poorly for several days after.

What the experts say

“These effects would be expected to occur within a few hours of eating cannabis and pets may be very poorly for several days after.”
— Animal PoisonLine (UK, VPIS) [2]

“Clinical signs have been reported for THC doses as low as 0.3 mg/kg”
— THC toxicosis treated with CBD sheets in six dogs, Front Vet Sci 2024 [4]

If your pet is struggling to breathe, has collapsed, is having a seizure or can't stand up: go to the nearest vet now.

Not sure how serious it is?

OkPaw asks a few quick questions about your pet and tells you in 30 seconds whether it can wait. Free on Google Play for Android.

OkPaw is on Android now – an iPhone version is on its way.

Common questions

How much cannabis is dangerous for a dog?

Clinical signs have been reported at THC doses as low as 0.3 mg/kg.^[4]

What signs could cannabis cause?

Signs can include stomach upset, stumbling, a dazed or aggressive mental state, sudden flinching and uncontrolled urination; severe signs may include collapse, seizure and difficulty breathing.^[3]

How soon could signs start?

Effects are expected within a few hours of eating, and pets may be very poorly for several days after.^[2]

Sources

How this page was made: written with the help of AI from the sources below, then checked claim by claim against those sources. Urgency levels follow OkPaw’s fixed safety rules. It is guidance, not a diagnosis. How we write our pages