A five-year-old black labrador made headlines this week after requiring an emergency mountain rescue from Ben Nevis, Scotland’s highest peak, following what veterinarians believe was an accidental ingestion of cannabis left on the hiking trail. The incident has sparked renewed warnings about the dangers of discarded drugs in popular outdoor spaces.
Christina Bluhme, a professional dog trainer from Surrey, was hiking Ben Nevis with her dog Tokyo when the situation took a terrifying turn. About an hour from the summit and roughly halfway up the mountain, which stands at 4,413 feet, Tokyo suddenly became critically ill. The dog lost the use of her hind legs and began drifting in and out of consciousness, symptoms that initially alarmed Bluhme.
“She’d been so happy eating treats and drinking and had been her very active normal self,” Bluhme said, recalling the morning before the incident occurred. The hike had started normally, with Tokyo accompanied by Bluhme’s 17-year-old son Magnus and another dog, a two-year-old golden labrador named Blaze.
As Tokyo’s condition deteriorated on the mountainside, Bluhme initially tried to carry the 53-pound dog down, but the weight combined with heavy rain made that impossible. A fellow hiker suggested calling emergency services, which dispatched the Lochaber Mountain Rescue Team. Fortunately, volunteers from the rescue team happened to be 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 recalled of the rescue effort.
Once at Crown Vets in nearby Fort William, veterinary staff quickly recognized what had happened. The vet immediately identified Tokyo’s symptoms as neurotoxicity rather than a physical injury like a spinal problem. Staff hooked Tokyo up to an IV infusion and administered activated charcoal, which works by absorbing toxins from the body.
The diagnosis became clearer when Bluhme noticed the telltale signs. “She had all the symptoms of consuming cannabis and had her blood tested too. What really gave it away was when she had her temperature taken she let out some gas and it smelled completely like cannabis,” Bluhme said. The veterinarian informed her that Tokyo most likely ate a cannabis edible that had been dropped along the trail or consumed human waste containing traces of the drug.
By the following day, Tokyo’s recovery was remarkable. “She was wagging her tail very happily and was ready to go,” Bluhme said. “And the day after you wouldn’t have thought that this had happened to her.”
The incident highlights a veterinary reality that many dog owners may not realize: dogs are significantly more vulnerable to cannabis than humans. Dogs’ brains contain more cannabinoid receptors than human brains, meaning marijuana affects them far more intensely. Symptoms of cannabis ingestion in dogs can appear within 30 to 90 minutes and include loss of balance, inability to stand, dribbling urine, dilated pupils, and glassy eyes.
Bluhme’s gratitude toward those who helped save Tokyo was evident in her public statements. “Without the incredible Lochaber mountain rescue team, there is simply no way I could have got her safely off the mountain. Carrying a 25kg labrador down Ben Nevis was impossible on my own,” she said. She also praised the veterinary team’s “compassion and dedication.”
The rescue team confirmed Tokyo’s recovery in a Facebook post, noting that she was “a usually very fit and active working dog” whose sudden collapse pointed to something ingested rather than a preexisting condition. They thanked Crown Vets for their support and Bluhme for sharing updates and photos.
Since sharing her experience, Bluhme has received numerous messages from other dog owners describing similar incidents with their pets. The experience has prompted her to reflect on pet safety during outdoor activities. “I learned a lesson in terms of dogs scavenging,” she said. “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.”
Bluhme used her frightening experience to issue a broader warning to fellow dog owners and hikers. “A little reminder to fellow dog owners – please be aware that discarded drugs and other toxic substances can sometimes be found even in the most beautiful outdoor places,” she said, noting it was something she had never anticipated encountering during a hike.
The incident comes as outdoor recreation continues to grow in popularity across Scotland and the wider United Kingdom. Veterinary professionals and rescue organizations alike emphasize the importance of keeping dogs on leads or under close supervision in high-traffic areas, along with seeking prompt veterinary attention if a pet begins showing sudden, unexplained symptoms of distress while outdoors.
For Tokyo and her relieved owner, what could have been a tragedy became a story of gratitude and a cautionary tale shared across the hiking community.