IRVINE, CALIFORNIA: According to authorities, Irvine police officers gave a pit bull puppy Narcan, an opioid overdose antidote, to help it recover after it may have consumed fentanyl.
On September 7, police in Irvine, California, arrested two individuals for drug possession at a Walmart when they discovered a puppy in the vehicle.
As per a representative for the Irvine Police Department, the puppy appeared to be struggling, Daily Mail reported.
According to a news release, authorities detained the puppy's owners Katherine Marylou Menke, 27, of Santa Ana, and Caleb Aaron Gibson, 29, of San Juan Capistrano.
How is the puppy doing after the fentanyl overdose?
Officers also brought the 8-week-old puppy along while transferring the two suspects to a police station to be booked.
The dog appeared to have been struggling due to the fentanyl overdose. Officers provided nasal Narcan to the dog and said, "Their puppy inside the car was exposed to fentanyl and began to show signs of an overdose," as per ABC 7.
Irvine Police Department representative stated, "Her tongue was hanging out of her mouth, her eyes were closing so the officers thought "hey, let's use the Narcan on the dog to see if that will help her out", sure enough it did, so they transported the dog to the vet."
A police officer took the dog to the nearest emergency vet right away. Authorities claim that by the time they reached the veterinarian, the dog had fully recovered. IPD announced that the puppy would be taken into care by the Animal Services Unit.
How did Narcan save the puppy?
When administered in time, the life-saving drug can stop an opioid overdose by inhibiting its effects. According to veterinary researchers, dogs can benefit from Narcan just like humans.
Within two to three minutes, it can usually restore normal breathing. The puppy was sent to an emergency veterinary clinic for care, and a full recovery is anticipated.
On Friday, September 8, Lt. Karie Davies, a police spokesperson, informed ABC7, "Just two months ago, we got training on the use of Narcan. And so the officers thought: Well, if it works on humans, let's give it a try on the animal."
Two Chihuahua puppies revived with Narcan after cocaine overdose
In a similar incident, two cute Chihuahua puppies – Freddy and Tonto – had to be revived with Narcan on Long Island after they overdosed on cocaine, as per the New York Post.
According to Roy Gross, chief of the Suffolk County SPCA, the 15-week-old male puppies had severe symptoms of a coke OD in a nearby hospital when Suffolk County SPCA officers arrived in June 2023.
According to an inquiry, the canine pair also ingested fentanyl, said Gross. The illegal drugs might have killed the dogs if they hadn't received medical care, as per authorities.
