Labrador rescued from UK’s highest mountain after suspected cannabis consumption
Mountain Rescue Saves Dog After Suspected Cannabis Ingestion
Labrador rescued from UK s highest – A five-year-old black Labrador named Tokyo has made a complete recovery after emergency responders pulled her from Scotland’s tallest peak. The incident occurred when the energetic canine consumed what appears to be cannabis, leading to severe symptoms that nearly proved fatal. Christina Bluhme, Tokyo’s owner and a professional dog trainer based in Surrey, southeastern England, shared the harrowing experience with CNN on Monday. The family had been enjoying a hike up Ben Nevis, which rises to an impressive 4,413 feet (1,345 meters), when their beloved pet began showing troubling signs.
The Hike Takes a Dramatic Turn
According to Bluhme, Tokyo had been in peak condition throughout the morning. “She’d been so happy eating treats and drinking and had been her very active normal self,” the trainer explained. The group consisted of Bluhme, her teenage son Magnus who is seventeen years old, and their two-year-old golden Labrador named Blaze. As the party neared the summit, Tokyo’s condition deteriorated rapidly. “We were maybe an hour from the top when we noticed Tokyo got really weak in her hind quarters,” Bluhme recounted. At first, she suspected a spinal issue or slipped disc caused by the strenuous climb. However, the situation worsened when the dog began drifting in and out of consciousness. “I was standing on that mountain thinking that that was it, I was going to lose her,” Bluhme admitted, describing the terrifying moment.
Emergency Response on the Mountain
Bluhme attempted to carry Tokyo down the mountain herself, but the task proved nearly impossible. The dog weighed 24 kilograms (53 pounds), and heavy rain was drenching them both. A fellow hiker eventually recommended contacting emergency services, which quickly dispatched the Lochaber Mountain Rescue Team. Fortunately, volunteers were already nearby after responding to another emergency at the summit. “They put her on a stretcher, I grabbed one side and we got her down the mountain,” Bluhme described. Once safely on the ground, Bluhme transported Tokyo to Crown Vets in Fort William. The veterinary staff immediately identified the cause of her distress. “The vet immediately recognized Tokyo’s symptoms as being caused not by pain but neurotoxicity, according to Bluhme.”
Cannabis Confirmed as the Culprit
Tokyo received treatment including an IV infusion and activated charcoal to help absorb the toxins from her system. The diagnosis became clear when her temperature was taken. “What really gave it away was when she had her temperature taken she let out some gas and it smelled completely like cannabis. It was almost like standing beside someone smoking weed,” Bluhme recalled. The vet confirmed Tokyo displayed all the classic symptoms of cannabis consumption. Blood tests were conducted to verify the diagnosis. When Bluhme returned the following day to collect her pet, Tokyo was wagging her tail happily and seemed ready for anything. “It’s not funny, but it was a bit funny,” Bluhme added with a laugh.
Lessons Learned
The veterinary staff suggested Tokyo likely consumed an edible that had been dropped along the hiking trail, or possibly human waste containing cannabis traces. Bluhme, who had never heard of dogs eating cannabis before, was surprised by the outcome. The Lochaber Mountain Rescue Team posted about the incident on Facebook over the weekend, noting they had been called “to assist a collapsed dog.” They confirmed Tokyo had “made a full recovery” and suspected the usually fit working dog had ingested something that made her critically unwell. Since the incident, Bluhme has received numerous messages from fellow animal owners reporting similar experiences. “I learned a lesson in terms of dogs scavenging,” she reflected. “I’ve never put too much importance on it… they love sniffing and foraging. But I’m definitely going to be a little bit more careful about what they put their nose into in future.”