Reading park sees dogs sick from 'cannabis poisoning'

Several residents and a nearby vets have reported dogs becoming very unwell due to suspected cannabis ingestion after visiting Linear Park in Calcot. 

Lucille Cloney, who lives next to the park, said she had a 'horrible' experience after she had to rush her terrier to Castle Vets Pet Healthcare Centre on Tuesday evening. 

The 55-year-old said she took her dog Troy for a walk in Linear Park around 3pm - and noticed that something was wrong later that afternoon. 

She said: "Troy normally has his dinner around 6pm and around then he will make it clear that he is starving. But this time he didn't. 

"He was on his bed in our living room looking very listless.

"We tried to get him up and could see that he was very wobbly on his legs.

"So we called the vets and took him straight over."

Troy's symptoms prompted Lucille to ask the vet about possible cannabis ingestion after a friend reported this had been the suspected cause of another dog becoming ill with similar symptoms after visiting the park last week. 

Troy, feeling unwell at home after the suspected cannabis ingestion. (Image: NQ)

Lucille said: "I did bump into a friend at the park, and told me about another dog who had the same thing happen last Thursday. 

"Apparently he was really badly effected. He was on a drip for a couple of days. 

"When he wasn't well I remembered the conversation so that was the first thing I asked the vets. 

"The vets took his temperature and said, 'yeah that matches'. She said it's really consistent with ingesting cannabis. This wasn't the first case they had seen. 

"His temperature was much lower than it should have been. He had lost his bladder control. 

"She gave us some advice to look after him at home. So we took him home and tucked him up on the sofa."

Lucille was left facing a £380 vets' bill, but Troy, a rescue dog from Cypress, has made a full recovery.

Lucille said: "They said he will be really sleepy - and he did sleep really well that night. 

She added: "But it's not the same as a person getting high - for dogs it's a toxin. 

"It's horrible. Especially because on the way back from the park I had heard that horrible story. It was very stressful. The vets gave us peace of mind, otherwise I would have been up all night worrying."

Now Lucille said she was considering finding a new park to walk her dog. 

She said: "It's tricky. The park is like our back garden, I will be very careful in the future."

Castle Vets Pet Healthcare Centre was approached for comment. 

Has your dog been unwell after visiting Linear Park or another recreation ground around Reading? Let us know by emailing richard.lemmer@newsquest.co.uk.