A Washington State University veterinary team says a ferret that arrived comatose last year recovered after they discovered she had eaten a large amount of cannabis and used an over-the-counter human test to diagnose and treat her condition.
Vanilla, a two-pound ferret, was brought to the WSU Veterinary Teaching Hospital’s emergency clinic in March 2023 in life-threatening condition.
Her heart rate had slowed, she was barely breathing, and her mental activity was described as “stuporous to comatose.”
Her owner initially feared she had been crushed by a reclining chair, which seemed consistent with seizure-like activity and tremors the ferret displayed when she arrived.
Veterinarians first began treating her as a possible trauma patient.
But soon after admission, the owner realized three cannabis edibles were missing.
Each edible contained 10 milligrams of cannabinoid and cannabinol — a dose meant for humans.
Using a simple, over-the-counter drug test designed for people, the veterinary team detected cannabinoids in Vanilla’s urine.
Although those tests are known to work inconsistently for dogs, they clearly showed cannabis exposure in this case. That discovery shifted the course of treatment.
Veterinarians began administering an intravenous lipid emulsion — a fat-based solution that binds to THC and helps move it out of the body.
Within 72 hours, Vanilla was “bright, alert and responsive,” according to a new case report published in the Journal of Veterinary Emergency & Clinical Care.
She was released after four days in the hospital, and her owner reported she remained healthy and active 30 days later.
Claudia Huerta, the lead author of the paper, said the case highlights a growing issue.
“We see it more and more frequently,” said Huerta, who recently completed her residency at WSU before accepting a position in Florida.
Pet marijuana toxicity has increased sharply across the United States as more states legalize recreational cannabis.
According to the Pet Poison Hotline, calls about marijuana exposure rose 448% between 2017 and 2023 across the U.S., Canada and the Caribbean.
Dogs make up the majority of cases.
Symptoms vary but can include balance problems, vomiting, lethargy and, in some instances, seizures.
In addition to cannabis, some dogs face another danger: xylitol, an artificial sweetener used in certain edibles.
“We might actually worry more about that than the marijuana,” Huerta said.
Far less is known about how cannabis affects ferrets.
Huerta said she could locate only one other documented ferret case — from decades ago — and that animal did not survive.
That made Vanilla’s condition more alarming and the successful treatment more notable.
Huerta said the case also underscores the importance of pet owners being straightforward with veterinarians when something like this happens, especially in places where cannabis remains illegal, such as neighboring Idaho.
“We’re not the police. We just want to take care of the pet,” she said. “Nothing’s going to happen if they tell us.”
Veterinarians at WSU say anyone who uses cannabis should store it securely and keep it out of reach of pets — particularly curious animals like ferrets and dogs that may mistake edibles for food.