• Cannabis poisoning cases in pets have in

    From ScienceDaily@1:317/3 to All on Wed Apr 20 22:30:50 2022
    Cannabis poisoning cases in pets have increased significantly, study
    finds
    Vets describe increased cases in North America since Canada's 2018 legalization; reveal poisoning outcomes

    Date:
    April 20, 2022
    Source:
    PLOS
    Summary:
    A survey of veterinarians in the U.S. and Canada highlights
    mounting cases of cannabis poisoning among pets and sheds new
    light on symptoms, treatments, and outcomes.



    FULL STORY ==========================================================================
    A survey of veterinarians in the U.S. and Canada highlights mounting
    cases of cannabis poisoning among pets and sheds new light on symptoms, treatments, and outcomes. Richard Quansah Amissah of the Ontario
    Veterinary College at the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada, and colleagues present these findings in the open-access journal PLOS ONE
    on April 20, 2022.


    ==========================================================================
    Pets that are exposed to cannabis, most often by ingestion, may experience symptoms of cannabis poisoning -- also known as cannabis-induced
    toxicosis - - with varying degrees of severity. While prior evidence
    suggests that cases of cannabis poisoning among pets are increasing,
    the actual magnitude of the problem, including typical outcomes for pets,
    has been unclear.

    To improve understanding of cannabis poisoning in pets, Amissah and
    colleagues analyzed survey data from 251 veterinarians based in Canada
    or the U.S.

    Conducted in 2021; the survey included questions about cannabis poisoning
    cases encountered by participants over several previous years.

    Statistical analysis of the survey responses showed that the number
    of cannabis poisoning cases jumped significantly in both the U.S. and
    Canada following the 2018 legalization of cannabis in Canada. Unattended ingestion of cannabis edibles was the most frequent cause of poisoning,
    but it was unclear what proportion of cannabis products had been obtained
    for human consumption versus medicinal consumption by pets. The authors
    note that the post-legalization boost could be explained by increased
    cannabis use, but that increased reporting may have contributed as well.

    Cannabis poisoning was most frequently seen in dogs, but cases were
    also reported in cats, iguanas, ferrets, horses, and cockatoos. While
    most cases were benign, observed symptoms -- seen primarily in dogs --
    included urinary incontinence, disorientation, and abnormally slow heart
    rate. Most animals were treated with outpatient monitoring, and nearly
    all animals recovered completely.

    In a small number of cases, veterinarians reported that pets had died due
    to cannabis poisoning, though the researchers note that other potential
    causes, such as underlying conditions, could not be ruled out in the
    study. With use of cannabis products continuing to rise, they call for additional research into the effects of cannabis on pets to help inform veterinary efforts and policies to keep pets healthy.

    The authors add: "This is an important topic to study in the light of
    recent legalization of cannabis in Canada and across multiple states. In
    order to understand the mechanisms underlying cannabis-induced toxicosis
    in pets, and to develop treatments for it, we need to first understand
    what it looks like; this is what we had hoped to accomplish with this
    survey, and believe that these findings will help us get a better handle
    on this under-studied topic."

    ========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by PLOS. Note: Content may be edited
    for style and length.


    ========================================================================== Journal Reference:
    1. Richard Quansah Amissah, Nadine A. Vogt, Chuyun Chen, Karolina
    Urban,
    Jibran Khokhar. Prevalence and characteristics of cannabis-induced
    toxicoses in pets: Results from a survey of veterinarians in
    North America. PLOS ONE, 2022; 17 (4): e0261909 DOI: 10.1371/
    journal.pone.0261909 ==========================================================================

    Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/04/220420151606.htm

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