An adorable Shichon (Shih Tzu and Bichon Frise cross) puppy sits in a blooming garden and watches.
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Dog Reportedly Ingests THC at Groomer Visit in Pennsylvania

A pet owner has claimed her dog ingested THC while he was at the groomer. The Bichon Frise and Shih Tzu mix was allegedly lethargic and losing his balance. This led to the Pennsylvania resident suspecting he had ingested THC. Consequently, the Bucks County SPCA has launched an investigation to look into the claims, as the pet parent wants answers.

Pennsylvania dog allegedly ingests THC during trip to groomer, owner looking for answers

When Kelly Fowler dropped her pup off at the groomer on June 1, she didn’t expect to find him lethargic and disoriented when she picked him up. According to her Facebook post, she took her dog, Teddy, to the PetSmart in Fairless Hills, Pennsylvania. However, he kept losing his balance on their way home, which concerned the pet parent.

The Shih Tzu and Bichon Frise mix is only a year old. He was at the groomer for about four hours before Fowler picked him up. After finding his lack of tail wagging and enthusiasm concerning, she took Teddy to the vet to get his urine tested. According to 6abc, the vet’s report showed that the dog’s urine tested negative for THC, but there is a high possibility of it being a false-negative.

Fowler noted that this wasn’t “normal behavior” for Teddy, and the vet stated that he had THC in his system. It is important to note that THC is the psychoactive component of cannabis and is highly toxic for dogs. Also, Teddy’s symptoms did coincide with those of THC poisoning, like lethargy and balance issues.

However, it hasn’t been proven if the pup ingested THC during his trip to the groomer. PetSmart’s corporate spokeswoman noted that they had reviewed the video footage and couldn’t find any evidence hinting at Teddy being exposed to THC in the store. Moreover, Kelly Fowler stated that PetSmart has paid her vet bill.

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