Woman hit with £900 vet bill after dog gets 'stoned' on park cannabis stash

Karen Nunn, 46, thought her five-year-old Labrador Knotley was having a stroke when he went "wobbly" and "completely lost control of his limbs" on Sunday, June 13.

Her 17-year-old son Billy Barnes had been out walking him in Catton Park before they went on a 45 minute driving lesson.

Ms Nunn, an A&E worker who lives close to the park, said: "We knew there was something wrong as soon as we got back. Knotley usually barks when we come to the door, but this time he didn't. He couldn't even get off the sofa.

"He looked totally petrified. He was wide-eyed, his legs were wobbly and when I tried to give him a biscuit he kept missing it. He had completely lost control of his limbs.

"It was horrible to watch."

Billy had been walking Knotley in Catton park when he found the cannabis stash (Image: Karen Nunn)

When they took Knotley to the local vets, he became incontinent and his bowels "exploded".

Straight away, Ms Nunn was told by the vet he was showing all the symptoms of cannabis poisoning - incontinence, drowsiness, behavioural changes, big pupils, unwillingness to stand - and that there had been four cases in the Catton area recently.

"They had to keep him in overnight, gave him a fluid drip and run multiple blood tests to check the stuff was out of his system", she explained.

"In hindsight, it is quite funny that our dog managed to get himself stoned. But at the time, when we heard it could prove fatal to dogs - and then saw the £900 vet bill - we definitely weren't laughing.

"Dogs eat anything - especially Labradors - so it made me angry that someone could either be stupid or inconsiderate enough to leave their stash lying around in a public place.

"If Knotley hadn't been so young and healthy, the outcome could have been far worse for him."

Catton Park is a popular spot for dog walkers (Image: Archant)

Two days later, Knotley still isn't himself. According to the vet, he may be hallucinating.

Ms Nunn said: "All our friends have been making jokes about him having the munchies and a bad comedown.

"It is funny, but there's also a very serious point to be made here that people need to be careful about what they're leaving lying around in public spaces used by dog walkers and children."