WHITE ROCK DOG OWNER WARNS OF POT IN PARKS

A White Rock woman who believes her dog ingested marijuana at a local
park last week hopes other pet owners learn from her experience.

Deborah Astells said she was walking her nine-month-old cockapoo
through Southmere Village Park, 1701 Martin Dr., last Friday (Sept.
10) evening, when she first noticed Poppy acting unusual.

"I was going down around the ponds and her leash felt funny to me, so
I looked down and her left back leg was folding under her, and then
she lost all balance and she lost bladder control."

Astells said she scooped up 15-pound Poppy and walked the short
distance home, where the dog went "flat out on her side" and started
twitching.

Astells took Poppy to a local veterinary clinic, where she said the
dog's urine tested positive for THC, a chemical found in marijuana.

Poppy was put on intravenous fluids for a few hours, she said, and was
finally back to her normal self two days later.

Astells said she was told by the veterinarian that it is not uncommon
for dogs who have ingested marijuana to be brought in.

Peace Arch News reported of the situation two years ago, when a
veterinarian with the Animal Emergency Clinic of the Fraser Valley in
Langley said she regularly sees dogs from around the Lower Mainland -
including South Surrey and White Rock - who have been affected by the
drug.

"Dogs tend to have their mouths right to the ground," Dr. Nadine
Koreman told PAN at the time. "It can happen to dogs on-or off-leash.
usually, not long after they get home, they'll notice their pet acting
unusually."

Koreman said symptoms of an affected dog include sleepiness, extreme
sensitivity to light and motion, low heart rate, low blood pressure
and the dog urinating on itself, or dribbling urine.

Treatment can include intravenous treatment or induced vomiting, she
said, noting the emergency clinic sees a couple cases a week.

Although Astells isn't positive that Poppy picked up marijuana at the
South Surrey park, she said the dog began exhibiting symptoms within
10 minutes of being there.

Not only did the situation cost Astells $250 in vet bills, but she
said it was a "major stress."

"(Poppy's) especially dear to me because I have an anxiety and
depression disorder, so my doctor wrote a prescription so I could have
her for therapy," Astells said. "So I'm very lucky to have her.

"I was just terrified she was going to die when I saw all the
symptoms."

She said the experience has caused her to reconsider where she walks
Poppy.

"I usually take her over the hills and in the grass," she said of
Southmere Village Park.

"You've got to take your dog somewhere. I'm thinking about just
(sticking to) the perimeter, on the sidewalk."