Narcan saved the life of this poodle after suffering apparent drug overdose
By Zoe Sottile, CNN
A poodle named Toodles in Pennsylvania was revived with Narcan after suffering an apparent drug overdose, according to a local shelter.
The dog was rushed to Blue Pearl Emergency Hospital on Monday, according to a Facebook post from the Pennsylvania SPCA. The pup was discovered in the Philadelphia neighborhood of Kensington with a person; both were found unconscious and unresponsive, the SPCA said.
The Philadelphia Police Department responded to the scene to help the person, while bystanders rushed the dog to a veterinary hospital, according to the SPCA. Veterinarians administered Narcan, a life-saving opiate reversal treatment, and Toodles “immediately became responsive,” the shelter said.
“It is unimaginable what would have happened if Toodles hadn’t been taken to a veterinarian,” the shelter said. “But, thanks to the quick work of the Good Samaritans, and the lifesaving work of Blue Pearl, Toodles is alive today.”
A representative of the Pennsylvania SPCA told CNN over email that the dog likely ingested fentanyl. It’s unclear how the dog ingested the drugs. CNN reached out to the Philadelphia Police Department about the incident and the condition of the person found with the dog but did not immediately hear back.
Toodles was transferred from the hospital to the shelter later on Monday, according to the Facebook post. He received treatment via an IV and was “monitored closely to ensure that the drugs were working their way out of his system.”
Since the start of the week, the lucky pup has made a “full recovery,” the shelter said.
“He is just about the sweetest pup around,” the SPCA added. “Everyone loves him. But our hearts still break for all that he has been through.”
The SPCA told CNN over email that Toodles has already received adoption applications and will hopefully have a forever home in the coming days.
Like humans, dogs are also capable of overdosing on drugs, according to the FDA. Dogs can inhale the drugs through their noses and even small amounts of certain drugs, like fentanyl, can cause an overdose. The problem has been particularly noted among police dogs that work to detect such substances.
Symptoms of opiate overdose in dogs include drowsiness, difficulty standing, failure to respond to commands, a blank stare, weakness, unconsciousness and an inability to breathe, according to a handout from the Missouri Veterinary Medical Association. Most dogs show signs within 15 minutes of exposure to opiates, says the agency.
If you suspect a dog has overdosed, you should give it Narcan immediately and then take it to a veterinarian as soon as possible, according to the handout. As with humans, Narcan can be administered through the dog’s nostrils and has been shown to safely reverse many opiate overdoses in canines, according to the association.
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