There are lots of things a dog parent expects to happen upon during a stroll with their pup: squirrels, other dogs, maybe some garbage or abandoned food that your pup can’t help but gobble up. But one thing no dog parent expects to encounter on a walk is meth. A southern Colorado dog mom and her Lab mix recently stumbled upon just that – though the pet parent didn’t realize it until later, when her canine companion started acting odd.
Dog Accidentally Ingests Meth on Walk
Bear is a 10-year-old pup who enjoys walking with her dog mom, Amber Grantham, on a path in Bear Creek Cañon Park. On a recent outing to the woodsy area, Bear was enjoying the wintry weather.
“She loves to roll in the snow. I was letting her do that,” Grantham told Fox31 news. Though the fur baby was only a few feet away and was leashed, she apparently got into something she shouldn’t have.
“I noticed she was eating something and I jerked her away and didn’t think more about it,” Grantham said.
Dog Acts Odd, Rushed to ER
Once they returned home, Grantham noticed changes in her pup’s behavior. Bear couldn’t sit still. Her head was “bopping up and down.” Her pupils were dilated, and she seemed scared and off-kilter. She was “acting weird” enough that Grantham rushed the canine to Animal ER in Colorado Springs.
“They ran blood tests and scans to make sure nothing cognitively was wrong, and she tested positive for methamphetamine and amphetamines,” Grantham said.
An ER vet gave Bear fluids and anti-anxiety medication, and the pup stayed overnight in the ICU.
“All I could think is, it had to be the thing she was eating at the park,” Grantham said.
Dr. Kevin Fitzgerald with Alameda East Veterinary Hospital told FOX31 that dogs can – and do – ingest drugs accidentally by eating them, licking a surface contaminated by mind-altering substances, or inhaling drug vapors in small, enclosed rooms.
“Watch your pets and your children because I guess there can be dangerous things here,” Grantham warned.
Luckily, Bear was able to go home the day after the unfortunate incident and is now back to her old self. A shorter leash might be in order, however.
