Dog survives suspected opioid poisoning during downtown Edmonton park walk

A routine walk through downtown Edmonton turned into an emergency veterinary visit when one-year-old Clifford, a poodle and Cavalier King Charles spaniel mix, suddenly became lethargic with white gums and tongue.

Valeria Vecchio was walking Clifford through Railtown Park on 110th Street just north of the High Level Bridge when she noticed he no longer wanted to move. By the time she reached an Uber to get to the animal hospital, Clifford was barely breathing and his heart rate had slowed dangerously.

"I was actually shaking his head while we were in the Uber getting to the hospital just to make sure that he wouldn't fall asleep," Vecchio said.

At the animal hospital, veterinarians suspected opioid toxicity. Naloxone was administered and Clifford made a full recovery. The suspected diagnosis struck Vecchio as unsurprising. "There are a lot of public areas in downtown Edmonton, especially where there is open drug consumption. So I wasn't shocked," she said.

Dr. Jami Frederick, president of the Alberta Veterinary Medical Association and an emergency veterinarian, said opioid ingestion in pets is becoming more common in Edmonton — though marijuana cases are still more frequent. "We see it less commonly than marijuana," Frederick said. "But certainly, especially in the summer months when people are out walking their pets in public areas more often, we're seeing it more and more." Her team sees opioid toxicity in animals once or twice a month.

The safest approach is for pet owners to carry a naloxone kit when in public with their pets, Frederick advised. However, if opioid toxicity is suspected, immediate veterinary care is critical. "Often the naloxone does not work for as long as the opioid works," Frederick said. "So they may have to have repeat doses, and the safest place to have them monitored and redosed would be at a veterinary hospital."

The City of Edmonton said it could not confirm whether the Railtown Park incident was formally reported. The city removes litter and debris from grass every 10 to 18 days for mowing and every eight days in high-profile locations. Downtown Shine, the city's dedicated litter removal team working in partnership with HireGood, operates seven days a week focusing on litter pickup and safe needle removal.

Vecchio said she will be more careful about where she and Clifford walk, avoiding areas she believes carry high risk for open drug consumption. "The scary part was hearing the vet say that it happens quite frequently in downtown," she said. "Because that makes me think, 'OK, then what is the safest space to walk my dog?'"