The dangers of opioids remains high, despite the efforts of public health authorities, the medical community, policy-makers and academics focused on combating addiction and substance abuse.
Until recently, claims that dogs are being poisoned through the accidental ingestion of recreational drugs have only been supported by anecdotal evidence from pet owners and veterinarians.
We found that in the U.S., the risk of opioid poisoning for dogs being reported to the APCC increases with rising opioid prescription rates in a county.
For cannabis, our findings suggest that lower legal penalties for cannabis use and possession are associated with an increased risk of dog poisoning events involving cannabinoid products.
For both opioids and cannabinoids, veterinarians were more likely to call and seek advice from the APCC about a poisoning event.
Lastly, we found that opioid poisonings in dogs declined over the study period — between 2005 and 2014.
Cannabis and opioid poisonings of pets can be traumatic for both dogs and their owners, but we do not have a clear picture of the full extent of the problem due to under-reporting.
Our research took advantage of a large pre-existing database, but other studies still need to be conducted to support our findings.
The goal of this research is not to vilify those who use drugs, justify if these drugs should or shouldn’t be legal, or even how they should be controlled.
The recent popularity of the One Health framework to explore the relationships between human, animal and environmental health may reveal other unexpected connections.
For the public, the main take home message from our research is that it is important for people to be aware of drugs in their environment.
For consumers of recreational drugs, whether legally or illegally acquired, there is a responsibility for the proper storage and disposal of these products.