Dog rushed to the vet after eating weeds, getting high on the beach and acting like he was “away with the fairies”

A dog owner has issued a warning after his dog accidentally ingested cannabis during a beach walk – and ended up ‘stoned’.

Stephen Davidson, 59, said Oscar started acting strangely after their usual outing in Sheerness, Kent on Saturday (July 27).

The West Highland terrier, who is usually “lovable and clingy”, had become lethargic and “away with the fairies”.

Eight-year-old Oscar had also stopped drinking water – leading distraught Stephen to fear the pet “could have dehydrated and died”.

Stephen called a vet out of hours and rushed Oscar to PDSA in Gillingham Business Park.

Here, the vet made a startling discovery – discovering that Oscar had consumed the Class B drug.

Stephen said: “They put something down his throat to see if he would go wrong straight away but he didn’t – there was a delay.

“That’s when they said he was drugged.”

According to the PDSA, signs of intoxication in dogs can begin 30 to 90 minutes after consuming cannabis.

Effects can include incontinence, dilated pupils, a slow heart rate and feeling empty.

Dogs can also experience “a startle reaction” where they appear drowsy and start to fall, but suddenly regain their balance.

To get the cannabis out of his system, Oscar had to stay at the vet overnight, where he was kept on a drip and given charcoal medicine.

He has since made a full recovery and is back happily rolling on his tummy for cuddles.

But the treatment the little white terrier received has resulted in a hefty bill.

Stephen had to pay more than £900 for the out-of-hours care – although he believes he will be able to claim this on his pet insurance.

His most pressing concern is where to walk Oscar from now on, as he feels wary of returning him to the Sheerness seafront just 20 minutes from his home.

Stefani said: “It is very bad in this city. People just smoke it everywhere and then throw it on the ground.”

The 59-year-old says he will eventually return to his usual dog walking spot – but has spoken out to warn other owners what to watch out for.

He said: “I just want people to be very careful about what they get their dogs on and be aware of any dangers when walking them.”

Stephen also wants owners to seek help as soon as possible if their little ones start acting strangely.

The PDSA said that while they have seen cases of cannabis intoxication in dogs, thankfully it remains an uncommon issue.

Veterinary nurse Nina Downing said: “Dogs will suffer cannabis intoxication if they eat it.

“Unfortunately, it can happen that your dog can come across cannabis on a walk, and if he ingests it, he’s likely to start looking unwell.

“If you suspect your dog may have ingested some cannabis, it’s best to have it checked out by your vet as soon as possible, rather than waiting for symptoms to appear.”