Falcore is five pounds of terrier-chihuahua attitude, but the Fort Lauderdale rescue met his match in a bowl of chocolate Easter candy. The tiny dog turned the holiday treats into a late-night emergency-room visit and roughly $500 in vet bills. After doctors induced vomiting and provided supportive care, Falcore pulled through. Local veterinarians say chocolate is still a classic threat, but cannabis exposures are climbing fast enough that they are now a routine reason pets wind up in the ER.
As reported by Local 10, Falcore’s owner, Hannah Branson, rushed him to the Veterinary Emergency Group in Fort Lauderdale. Dr. Ignacio Casali told the station he now sees at least one case a week of pets that have eaten THC edibles or marijuana-infused chocolate. He described animals "losing balance" and sometimes "dribbling urine," and said treatment typically centers on fluids and temperature support. Casali also warned that concentrated THC products made for humans can be far too potent for small animals.
Poison-control calls have jumped
The spike that local vets are describing is showing up in national poison-control data. According to the ASPCA, the organization’s Animal Poison Control Center has documented a nearly 300% increase in marijuana-related calls over the past five years. The trend lines with data from the Pet Poison Helpline, which reports roughly a 330% rise in accidental marijuana ingestions in pets over a similar period.
What vets see and how they treat it
Clinical signs of cannabinoid toxicosis can include lethargy, incoordination or stumbling, dilated pupils, vomiting and urinary incontinence. In more severe cases, veterinarians may see tremors or seizures. The Merck Veterinary Manual and veterinary colleges note that treatment is largely supportive: IV fluids, temperature and blood-pressure support, and close monitoring. Most pets improve within 12 to 72 hours, and death is considered rare, especially when there are no other toxins involved. The risk climbs when other substances, like chocolate, are part of the mix.
To figure out how serious a case might be, veterinarians lean heavily on what owners tell them about what was eaten and when. If owners have information on product potency, vets may plug that and the animal’s weight into toxicity calculators to help decide whether aggressive decontamination, hospital care or simple monitoring is appropriate.
How to prevent a midnight ER run
Experts say the simplest fix is to treat edible cannabis products the same way you would any household medication. That means storing them in sealed, pet-proof containers and keeping packages out of sight and out of reach. Public guidance from the ASPCA and veterinary toxicologists also emphasizes that edibles and concentrated oils are the most frequent offenders, and that even wrappers or scattered crumbs can be enough to cause trouble in very small dogs or cats.
If you are not sure what a pet got into, veterinarians stress that being honest and specific helps them decide whether decontamination or hospital monitoring is needed. Trying to guess or downplay what was eaten just burns time when seconds count.
If you suspect your pet has eaten a cannabis product, contact a veterinarian or a poison-control line right away. The ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center can be reached at (888) 426-4435 and the Pet Poison Helpline is available at (855) 764-7661. Both operate 24/7 and can advise on next steps. For pet owners like Branson, the scare is a blunt reminder that as cannabis products become more common in homes, one brief lapse in storage can mean an expensive, stressful night and a crash course in keeping treats where curious mouths cannot reach.
