If your dog just ate marijuana, call your veterinarian or an emergency animal poison hotline right away. Death from THC is extremely rare in dogs, but they are far more sensitive to cannabis than humans, and even a small amount can cause distressing symptoms that may need professional monitoring. The most important thing you can do right now is gather information: what your dog ate, roughly how much, when they ate it, and your dog’s weight.
Call Your Vet First, Not Later
Your first move is to phone your regular vet or the nearest emergency veterinary clinic. If you can’t reach either, two 24/7 hotlines can help: the ASPCA Poison Control Hotline (888-426-4435) and the Pet Poison Helpline (855-764-7661). Both charge a consultation fee, but they’ll walk you through exactly what to do based on what your dog ate and how big they are.
Have these details ready when you call:
- What they ate: Raw flower, an edible (gummy, brownie, cookie), a vape cartridge, concentrates, or a CBD product
- How much: Your best estimate of quantity
- When: How many minutes or hours ago
- Your dog’s weight
Do not try to make your dog vomit unless a veterinarian specifically tells you to. Inducing vomiting is sometimes the right call, but it can also be harmful depending on the substance, the timing, and your dog’s condition. Let a professional make that decision.
Why Dogs React So Strongly to THC
Dogs can show symptoms from THC doses as low as 0.3 to 0.5 milligrams per kilogram of body weight. For a 20-pound dog, that’s a tiny amount of THC, well within what a single edible gummy or a small piece of a cannabis brownie could deliver. Moderate symptoms can appear at doses above 2 to 3 mg/kg.
The good news: the probable lethal dose is extremely high, exceeding 3 to 9 grams of plant material per kilogram of body weight. No published lethal dose data actually exist because death from THC alone is so uncommon. The real danger usually comes not from the cannabis itself but from what else was in whatever your dog ate.
What Symptoms Look Like
A dog that has eaten marijuana typically becomes uncoordinated and wobbly, almost like they’re drunk. They may seem excessively sedated, dribble urine without realizing it, startle at sounds or touch, or tremble. Some dogs experience changes in heart rate. Their eyes may appear glazed, and they may seem confused or anxious.
Symptoms generally appear within 30 minutes to a few hours after ingestion, though edibles can take longer because they need to be digested first. Most dogs recover fully within 12 to 24 hours, though some cases, particularly with concentrated products, can take longer to resolve.
Edibles and Concentrates Are More Dangerous
Not all cannabis products carry the same risk. Raw plant material (leaves, stems, buds) contains lower concentrations of THC compared to processed products. Edibles are made with THC-infused butter or oil, which concentrates the active compound and often results in significantly higher THC levels than the plant itself. Vape cartridges and concentrates like wax or shatter can be dramatically more potent still.
On top of the higher THC concentration, edibles smell and taste appealing to dogs. A dog that finds a bag of cannabis gummies or a plate of brownies may eat the entire thing before you notice.
The Hidden Danger in Edibles
THC itself rarely kills dogs, but many edibles contain ingredients that can. Xylitol, an artificial sweetener common in sugar-free candies, gums, and baked goods, is one of the most dangerous substances a dog can eat. In dogs, xylitol triggers a massive release of insulin that can crash blood sugar levels within 10 to 60 minutes. Symptoms include vomiting, weakness, staggering, collapse, and seizures. Untreated, this drop in blood sugar can be fatal, and some serious effects may not show up for 12 to 24 hours.
Chocolate is another frequent ingredient in cannabis edibles and is independently toxic to dogs. High-fat butter and oils used to extract THC can also trigger pancreatitis, a painful and potentially serious inflammation of the pancreas. When you call your vet, mentioning these ingredients is just as important as mentioning the THC.
CBD Products Are Different
If your dog ate a CBD product rather than a THC product, the risk profile is considerably lower. CBD is nonintoxicating and well tolerated in dogs even at high doses. In studies, dogs given acute oral doses up to 62 mg/kg experienced only diarrhea. CBD does not produce the “high” that THC does.
That said, about 30% of dogs in reported CBD exposure cases showed lethargy, and roughly 21% were uncoordinated. These symptoms are more consistent with THC exposure than CBD, and likely resulted from poor-quality products contaminated with unlabeled THC or synthetic cannabinoids. If your dog ate a CBD product and is showing signs like severe wobbliness, sedation, or trembling, treat it as a THC exposure and call your vet.
What Happens at the Vet
Veterinary treatment for THC ingestion is supportive, meaning there’s no specific antidote. Your vet will focus on keeping your dog comfortable, stable, and hydrated while the THC works its way out of their system. Depending on severity, your dog may be monitored for a few hours or kept overnight. If they ate something containing xylitol or chocolate, more aggressive treatment and longer monitoring may be needed.
If your vet asks whether your dog could have gotten into marijuana, be honest. Veterinarians are not required to report drug possession to police. Their only concern is treating your pet. Withholding information forces them to guess, which wastes time and can lead to unnecessary tests or treatments. Marijuana toxicity mimics several other conditions, including antifreeze poisoning, and knowing the actual cause helps your vet act faster.
Keeping Your Dog Safe Going Forward
Dogs don’t learn to avoid cannabis after a bad experience. They’re drawn to the smell, especially with edibles. Store all cannabis products, including flower, edibles, vape cartridges, and CBD oils, in sealed, dog-proof containers placed well out of reach. Treat them the same way you’d treat medications or cleaning supplies.
Pay extra attention to guests, outdoor walks in areas where people use cannabis, and any situation where products might be left on low tables or in open bags. A dog can eat a surprising amount in the few seconds your back is turned.