Who Answers?
According to a recent report, hundreds of pet cats and dogs in the US and Canada are unintentionally poisoned each year. Is this from prescription medication that was accidentally left out? Unfortunately, that’s not the case.
According to data from the U.S. Pet Poison Control Helpline, the majority of accidental drug exposures among companion animals involve cocaine and methamphetamines that were in their owners’ homes.
The consequences are often dire for dogs or cats that ingest meth or cocaine. Death may occur quickly, according to Orrin Ware, a professor with the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. No amount of exposure is healthy or safe because of the toxicity and risk of death to the animal.
The likelihood of losing the pet is high without treatment. This is why noticing when the animal is sick and getting emergency medical care is critical. Nevertheless, even prompt medical intervention may not help save their lives.
The study traced data from 2019 through 2023. The research focused on dogs and cats poisoned by cocaine or meth.
About 65% of the accidental drug exposures of cats involved cocaine. Meth was involved in 58% of unintentional drug exposures involving dogs. More than 430 dogs were poisoned by substances found in the home during the study period. Accidental overdoses are now extending to pets living with owners who use illicit substances.
The risk to animals appears to be increasing as drug legalization and use spread across the country. Recognizing the risk even small amounts of drugs pose to house pets is essential to saving animals’ lives both in the home and abroad in the community.
