While you're celebrating the start of legal sales of marijuana for recreational use in New Jersey, make sure to keep track of your edibles: a new study has shown that more pets are eating the THC-laced treats, and more are getting sick and even dying.

The study, published on PLOS One — fittingly — on April 20 aka 4/20, the unofficial marijuana holiday, surveyed 251 veterinarians practicing in Canada and the United States, looking for reports of "cannabis toxicosis" in pets. They found 226 cases of dogs suffering from the condition since 2018, which most commonly resulted in urinary incontinence, disorientation, "ataxia" (the medical term for appearing drunk due to a lack of balance and coordination) and lethargy. While dogs experienced the most cases, cats, ferrets, iguanas and even a horse and cockatoo were reported to be suffering from toxicosis, totaling 283 in all.

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In 116 cases, it was expected that the toxicosis was due to edibles. A total of 135 cases were due to consumption (of both edibles and otherwise) of unattended marijuana.

While the vast majority of the pets survived their toxicosis, 16 of them died. Whether this was due entirely due to the marijuana or complicating factors such as the ingredients in the edible itself (chocolate, for example) make it hard to pin down exactly what killed the pet.

The number of cases reported from the Canadian vets were lower than in the United States, but the study also showed that cases on the whole have been on the rise since October 2018, which corresponds to the legalization of recreational marijuana in Canada.

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So don't let your pet be a statistic with legalization in New Jersey and keep your edibles away from your pets, even your cockatoos. While CBD treats are generally okay for pets — as long as the other ingredients are pet-friendly — call your veterinarian if you think or know your pet has ingested your THC-laced treats.

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Is weed toxic for your pets? New study says marijuana edibles can be dangerous