Drug Dependency in Dogs—What to Avoid, What to Look For

Can dogs become addicted to drugs?

The surprising answer is yes, dogs can become dependent on drugs. And certain breeds of dogs can have severe reactions to drugs that can even be life-threatening.

What Drugs Are Toxic to Dogs?

Almost any drug can become toxic to your dog if your dog consumes it in a human-sized dose. Even drugs that have minimal side effects on people can have serious side effects on dogs because most dogs are smaller than most people. 

Some drugs, however, are much more likely to cause toxic reactions in dogs than others. It is important to make sure that your dog never gets into your supply of any of these prescription and recreational drugs.

Acetaminophen (Tylenol) Toxicity in Dogs

One of the most common causes of drug poisoning in dogs is everyday, over the counter pain reliever acetaminophen, most often sold under the brand name Tylenol.

A 625-mg capsule of Tylenol can cause dramatic symptoms of toxicity in a 15-pound (7 kilo) dog. Dogs that get into Tylenol, or whose well-intentioned but misinformed owners give them Tylenol, start displaying symptoms one to four hours later.

Tylenol poisoning interferes with the ability of red blood cells to carry oxygen, so the dog’s pulse speeds up. The gums and the whites of the eyes may turn blue. Your dog will almost certainly be panting and may show signs of abdominal pain. There can also be vomiting or drooling.

The reactions to Tylenol overdoses are so unpleasant that it is highly unlike that any dog will ever become dependent on the medication. But the damage done to the dog’s liver increases with each overdose.

Cannabis Toxicity in Dogs

The American Kennel Club reports that the number of cases of marijuana poisoning in dogs goes up every year. The Pet Poison Hotline says that calls about marijuana poisoning in dogs have gone up 400 per cent over the last six years. The Animal Poison Control Center says that calls about pet poisoning by cannabis products went up 765 per cent in just one year.

The most common canine victims of cannabis toxicity are counter surfers, dogs that jump up on the counter to eat the brownies made with marijuana or get into an open box of marijuana edibles. However, dogs can also become intoxicated by eating any part of the marijuana plant, bud, seeds, leaves, stems, or flowers, or by consuming hash oil or even the faeces of another dog that became intoxicated with marijuana.

Dogs suffering from marijuana poisoning act as if they are stoned. They may stumble over their own feet. Their pupils may be dilated. They may not ask to go outside before they need to use the bathroom. They may be agitated, or lethargic, and suffer vomiting and diarrhoea.

About 50 per cent of dogs that get into marijuana products will dribble urine for a day or two afterwards.

Severe cases of cannabis intoxication can cause dehydration needing veterinary care. Most of the time, symptoms will pass after two or three days that are very unpleasant for the dogs and for pet parents. There are no reports of dogs that died from cannabis exposure, however, and it does not become addictive.

NSAID Toxicity in Dogs (Aspirin, Indomethacin, Ibuprofen, Naproxen)

The non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, aka NSAIDs, can cause serious kidney damage in dogs (and can be fatal in cats). Aspirin, indomethacin, ibuprofen, and naproxen may be OK in tiny doses recommended for products labelled for veterinary use, but giving a dog a human-sized dose of any of these products will cause more pain than it relieves.

The first sign of NSAID poisoning in dogs is usually vomiting, about three hours after the dog eats the pill. Stomach irritation can continue for several days if you don’t get veterinary help.

Toxicity from ADHD Medications in Dogs

ADHD medications like Adderall and Ritalin contain the stimulant amphetamine. The amount of amphetamine in a single pill may not be especially toxic for a dog, but 20 pills is more than enough to kill a 10-pound dog. 

Dogs that get into ADHD medication usually develop tremors first. They may have seizures. They will develop fevers. Untreated overdose may result in cessation of breathing or cardiac arrest.

Toxicity from Sleep Medications in Dogs (Ambien, Valium, Xanax)

A dog that eats one pill or capsule of Ambien, Valium, or Xanax will get very drowsy and may fall asleep at a time or in a place she should not. One pill or bar will not be fatal, but 20 or more maybe.

Toxicity from Opioid Medications in Dogs (Codeine, Fentanyl, Hydrocodone, Methadone, Morphine, Oxycodone, Oxymorphone, Tapentadol)

Dogs occasionally get into opioid pain relievers. The first thing pet parents would notice is wrong is pinpoint pupils. (When cats get into opioid pain relievers, they have the opposite reaction. Their pupils dilate.) They may move around like they are drunk. They may become very quiet. They won’t breathe as fast as normal. With extreme overdose, dogs may die of respiratory arrest.

How Can You Tell If a Dog Is Addicted to Drugs?

Of all the drugs that can cause toxic reactions in dogs, only opioid drugs have the potential for addiction. The way a dog might become addicted to an opioid drug is that the veterinarian writes a prescription for an opioid pain reliever, and then the pet parents go to a different veterinarian for another. 

This situation can result from an innocent mistake. Sometimes, families have to move before their dogs get over painful injuries. Sometimes, veterinarians retire or go out of business before a pet is fully recovered from an injury or illness they were treating. 

When a dog is addicted to an opioid pain reliever, it will take more and more medication to relieve the dog’s pain. If the dog misses a dose of pain medication, his pulse will speed up. His digestive tract will be upset. There may be vomiting and diarrhoea. 

Dogs don’t usually let the world know that they are in pain, but they may yell, howl, whine, and cry from pain when they are in withdrawal from an opioid drug.

This situation is very rare. Unfortunately, it is more common for humans who are addicted to opioid drugs to use their dogs to get more drugs. They go from veterinarian to veterinarian to get pain relievers for their dog that they use for themselves. Some owners injure their dogs over and over again just to get more drugs.

How Long Do Drugs Stay in a Dog’s System?

How long a drug stays in a dog’s system depends on the drug. The THC from cannabis products, for example, attaches itself to fat cells and brain tissue. It can stay in a dog’s system for up to 72 hours, and there is no treatment that removes it. 

NSAID drugs like aspirin, indomethacin, naproxen sodium and ibuprofen stay in a dog’s system even longer. The liver breaks down about half of these drugs every 48 hours. It takes about a week for liver enzymes to degrade them and the kidneys to flush them out of your dog’s system.

Different breeds of dogs have very different reactions to opioid drugs and anaesthesia. Many dogs can get these drugs out of their systems in just a few hours if they receive a small dose, but sighthounds like Greyhounds, Whippets, and Salukis, may need several days to clear sedative drugs out of their systems.

Older dogs, and dogs with kidney or liver disease, need longer to clear drugs out of their systems than younger, healthier dogs.

The best way to avoid problems with drugs and your dogs is always to give your dog veterinarian-approved medication in dog-sized doses. It is an act of love for your dog to give them only the medications meant for dogs, never medications meant for people.


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