A dog was poisoned by cannabis while climbing Britain's highest mountain
Tokyo, a five-year-old Labrador, had to be evacuated from Britain’s highest mountain after she suddenly lost her strength and began to lose consciousness. Veterinarians speculated that the dog might have eaten a cannabis-containing product left on a hiking trail. Rescuers carried the animal down the mountain on a stretcher, and after treatment at a veterinary clinic, Tokyo made a full recovery.
The unusual incident occurred during a hike up Ben Nevis in Scotland. Tokyo, a black Labrador Retriever, set out on the hike with her owner, Christina Bloom, her 17-year-old son Magnus, and another dog—a two-year-old golden Labrador named Blaze.
The first few hours of the climb went smoothly. According to her owner, Tokyo was feeling fine: she was running, eating treats, drinking water, and acting as usual. “She was very happy, eating treats, drinking, and acting completely normal—she was just as active as ever,” said Christina Bloom. But about an hour before reaching the summit, which is located at an altitude of 1,345 meters, the dog’s condition changed dramatically. First, Tokyo’s hind legs weakened, and then she began to lose consciousness.
The owner initially thought the problem might be related to her back or an injury from the difficult climb. “At first, I thought the problem might be with her spine or that the climb had caused a slipped disc. But then she started alternating between losing and regaining consciousness. I was standing on that mountain thinking, ‘That’s it, I’m going to lose her,’” the woman recalled.
Christina tried to get the dog down on her own, but Tokyo weighs 24 kilograms, and the situation was made more difficult by a heavy downpour. Then one of the hikers advised her to call the rescue team for help. The Lochaber Mountain Rescue Team responded to the call. The volunteers happened to be nearby after completing another rescue operation. The rescuers placed Tokyo on a special stretcher and, together with her owner, carried her down the mountain.
Afterward, the dog was taken to a veterinary clinic in Fort William. The veterinarians noted that the symptoms were more consistent with poisoning or exposure to toxins than with a typical injury. Tokyo underwent tests and received the necessary treatment. The veterinarian speculated that the dog might have accidentally eaten a cannabis-containing product that someone had left behind or discarded near the hiking trail.
According to the owner, a distinctive odor also reinforced the suspicion of poisoning. “She had all the symptoms of cannabis use. They also ran a blood test on her. Everything became clear when, while her temperature was being taken, she passed gas, and the smell was very similar to cannabis,” said Christina Bloom.
She added that the situation was serious, although some details later struck her as unusual. “It’s not funny, but at the same time, it was a little funny,” said the dog’s owner.
At Crown Vets in Tokyo, they put her on an IV and gave her activated charcoal, which helps remove toxic substances from the body. The very next day, the Labrador’s condition had improved significantly, and she was sent home. “She was wagging her tail happily and was already ready to go. And just one day later, no one would have even thought that something like that had happened to her,” said Christina. The rescue service confirmed that they had received a call about a dog that had lost consciousness during a hike. They later reported that Tokyo had made a full recovery.
The owner admitted that she hadn’t known before about the dangers of cannabis for dogs. After she shared her story, other pet owners who had also faced similar situations began reaching out to her. Now Christina will pay closer attention to what her dogs might find during walks. “I’ve learned my lesson about dogs’ habit of picking up all sorts of things. I didn’t used to think much of it, since they love to sniff around and search for things. But now I’ll definitely keep a closer eye on where they stick their noses,” she said.
