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Denver veterinarian says too many dogs are getting high from edibles accidentally left out

It may have happened to a woman in Denver last weekend while she was walking her pug in Washington Park.

DENVER, Colorado — As Sadie the pug was being walked by her human in Washington Park last Saturday, something may have caught the attention of her nose.

An hour after they left the park, Sadie's human thinks the pup got high. 

"Her legs were wobbling her head was wobbling," said Krista Welch. 

Welch said she was also sensitive to light and sound and was lethargic. 

They are all symptoms veterinarians say are typical of having marijuana in the system. 

"We see so many of them the receptionist can see it across the floor," said Dr. Kevin Fitzgerald. "There's a pot dog." 

Dr. Fitzgerald said before the drug was legalized, they would see around 17 dogs sick from marijuana at Alameda East Veterinary Hospital each year.

Now, he said they see about 17 a month. Most of the cases come from humans accidentally leaving edibles out. 

"The main thing we see is not malicious," he said. "It's just the dog blundered into his dad's stash on the counter." 

Dr. Fitzgerald said a dog has to eat a lot of pot brownies to get to the lethal limit, and smaller dogs are more vulnerable because of their weight. 

He said he recently saw two Yorkies in his hospital die. 

Welch didn't see her pug eat an edible in the park, but said she suspects that is what happened since Sadie had all the symptoms so soon after their walk. 

While there is no antidote for marijuana, Dr. Fitzgerald still suggests bringing your dog to the emergency room as soon as possible if you suspect it may have gotten into the drug.

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