SAN JOSE, Calif.—In October 2022, six dogs were brought to a MedVet pet clinic in San Jose for emergency drug treatment after accidentally ingesting methamphetamine while out on walks.
“I’ve never seen this amount of cases in such a short time period,” said Terra Schropp, hospital director with MedVet Silicon Valley.
She said normally doctors at the clinic only see a handful of cases a year, but cases are now “definitely increasing in frequency” with one or two cases a month.
The cases were reported when dogs had gone on walks, commonly near homeless encampments, Schropp said.
“Although that’s not always the fact,” she said.
Espinal took his dog to the vet, and the husky tested positive for methamphetamine.
VCA Animal Hospitals has stated that if an animal ingests a large enough dose of drugs, it can lead to tremors, seizures, or even death.
Schropp advised pet owners to keep an eye out when walking pets around homeless encampments or any unfamiliar areas to keep them safe while outside.
If the pet suddenly becomes hyper-excitable or agitated, starts twitching, or suffers seizures while walking, owners should bring the animal to the clinic immediately, she said.
Doctors at pet clinics can perform a urine drug screening to determine which toxins the pets ingested and can give them treatment accordingly. In most cases, veterinarians give the animals anticonvulsants via IV catheter as quickly as possible.
In San Jose, the six dogs that went in for meth treatment have been discharged with a clean bill of health.
“You shouldn’t have to worry about anything when you’re walking your dog,” said Steve Watters, a Siberian Husky owner in Silicon Valley.
San Jose resident Michael Carrillo shared his concerns for the east side of the city as well as downtown, where he says the homeless population has been increasing. Carrillo hopes the city can take care of it and make it cleaner and safer for the community.
