WSU veterinarians get creative to bring cannabis-eating ferret back to health

When Vanilla the ferret arrived at Washington State University’s Veterinary Teaching Hospital, she was in serious trouble. Her heart rate had dropped, her breathing was shallow, and she was drifting between stupor and coma. Everyone initially suspected a traumatic head injury until a key detail emerged. Three cannabis edibles were missing.

Each edible contained 10 milligrams of cannabinoids, a dose intended for humans. For a two-pound ferret, the amount was extreme.

Facing a rapidly declining patient, the WSU veterinary team had to get creative. They used an over-the-counter human drug test to check for cannabis exposure. The test detected high levels of marijuana in Vanilla’s system. The team immediately began treatment with an intravenous lipid emulsion, a fat-based therapy that binds THC and helps clear it from the body.

Vanilla recovered quickly once treatment began. Within 72 hours she was bright and responsive. Four days after her emergency visit she was able to go home. A month later her owner reported that she was active, healthy, and fully back to normal.

The case, now published in the Journal of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care, was authored by Claudia Huerta along with WSU colleagues Dr. Linda Martin, Dr. Amanda Lamarca, and Dr. W. Y. Eunice Lam. It adds to a growing body of evidence showing that cannabis toxicity in pets is rising sharply.

The Pet Poison Hotline reported a 448 percent increase in marijuana cases from 2017 to 2023. Most involve dogs. Cannabis exposure in dogs can cause lethargy, loss of balance, vomiting, tremors, and in severe situations, seizures. Some edibles also contain xylitol, a sweetener that is highly toxic to dogs and can cause life-threatening illness even without THC.

Much less is known about cannabis toxicity in species like ferrets. Before Vanilla’s case, Huerta found only one published case report in which the ferret did not survive. That gap in knowledge made this case especially challenging.

Vanilla’s owner originally feared she had been crushed under a reclining chair, which explained why the veterinary team first considered traumatic brain injury. Once the missing edibles were discovered, the team reassessed and confirmed the diagnosis using the human urine test. These tests do not always work well in dogs, but in this situation the result was clear.

Huerta stressed that one of the biggest challenges in treating marijuana toxicity is obtaining accurate information from pet owners. Some owners are reluctant to disclose possible cannabis exposure, especially in states where marijuana remains illegal. Unfortunately, delays in reporting exposure can put the pet at greater risk.

“We are not the police. We want to take care of the pet,” Huerta said. “Nothing is going to happen if owners tell us what really happened.”

With recreational cannabis now legalized in 24 states and edibles widely available, Huerta encourages pet owners to store products safely and reach out to a veterinarian immediately if exposure is suspected.

Vanilla’s recovery is an important reminder that quick action and honest communication can save lives. It also highlights a rapidly growing concern in veterinary emergency medicine as cannabis products become more common in homes across the country.