Living Our Core Value of Leadership: Advancing Cannabis Exposure Research
If outside the area, please call your nearest emergency vet.
Leadership to us means more than delivering exceptional care. It means treating emergencies and paying attention to the trends behind them.
As cannabis products have become more common in homes across California, veterinary teams have seen an increase in accidental pet exposures. Rather than treat each case in isolation, we wanted to better understand the issue in our own community. So, we surveyed Bay Area pet owners about their experiences and awareness of cannabis toxicity in pets.
The results revealed both a growing concern and a real opportunity for education. Twelve percent of respondents reported that their pet had ingested cannabis, and two-thirds of those pets required emergency veterinary care. At the same time, many owners were unable to identify common symptoms of cannabis toxicity. These findings suggest that while exposure is relatively common, awareness of the risks and warning signs may still be lagging.
That gap matters to us. Part of leading in veterinary medicine is recognizing that clinical expertise isn't enough on its own. We also have a responsibility to share what we know, contribute to broader conversations about pet health and put information in the hands of families before they need it.
As the risks pets encounter continue to evolve, so does our commitment to staying ahead of them. Research like this is one way we do that.
Read the full report here: https://pescm.com/san-rafael-ca/blog/cannabis-pet-exposure-bay-area/
The information contained in the article is for informational purposes only and is not intended to take the place of the advice of a veterinarian.
