- Half of all vets have treated pets for the after-effects
of cannabis consumption, a survey showed yesterday.
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- Although dogs are the most likely to be affected, cats
and a budgerigar have become casual users of marijuana.
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- Fifty of the 100 vets surveyed by the insurers Petplan
said they had treated pets that appeared to be suffering adverse effects
after eating or inhaling "soft" drugs. It was not clear if the
drugs had been accidentally consumed or deliberately fed to animals.
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- A quarter of the vets treated more than one animal a
year, with some reporting as many as four. There were no reports of fatalities
but the animals suffered side-effects such as vomiting, dizziness and temporary
loss of movement.
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- Some had been given paracetamol or contraceptive pills
and had to be monitored to ensure no vital organs failed.
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- Scott Miller, Petplan's consultant vet, has treated several
drug-related cases at his London surgery and said: "This is a serious
issue. You wouldn't leave drugs lying around for children to pick up, and
we should be adopting the same levels of caution for our pets.
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- "It's horrifying that vets are seeing these cases
at all, let alone when it is believed to be deliberate misuse."
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- © Copyright of Telegraph Group Limited 2005.
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