LOS ANGELES (KCAL, KCBS) -- A couple said their dog became violently ill after eating meth after a Sunday morning walk in North Hollywood.
Karla Vicuña said her dog Atreyu started acting erratically, crying and whimpering after the morning walk.
"His eyes were like just moving around, so something that we've never seen before on him," Vicuña said.
After Atreyu tested positive for methamphetamines, Vicuña and her husband believe the husky-shepard mix may have eaten something in the alley behind their home.
"The doctor said that he was grateful that we got there so fast because he could have had a seizure," Vicuña said. "His heart rate was over the charts. He had a fever."
Vicuña said the 12-hour hospital visit cost them $2,000.
In 2023, the California Animal Health and Food Safety Lab System found that marijuana and amphetamines were among the top 20 toxins most asked about on the pet poison helpline.
"So either they start acting very erratic, or on the opposite, some downers will cause them to act very sleepy and depressed," Dr. Julio Lopez said. "Many times, they have tremors or twitching. Sometimes they will urinate just on their own, without having any reason to urinate."
In Santa Monica, residents have found flyers suggesting pet owners carry Narcan and warning that narcotic residue in human feces can be deadly to animals if they eat it.
Lopez said that's probably not needed. While toxic exposure can happen in an instant, he suggested pet owners carry a flashlight at night and monitor their dogs to make sure they don't ingest anything.
"The quantity that would be in that fecal matter is probably a very small amount, so I don't expect the dog to be able to ingest enough to really cause any significant danger to them," Lopez said. "If your vet determines that your pet's exposure history in the past and likelihood of re-exposure in the future warrant it, they may discuss you having Narcan handy. But again, for the majority of pet owners, it's not something that you'll need to do."
Vicuña said the experience has made the couple nervous.
"He's not an easy dog, that's for sure, but we love him," she said. "He's a good dog, like he didn't deserve what happened to him."
This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate partner and does not contain original CNN reporting.
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