A FAMILY’S dog almost died after eating a drug her owners think was cannabis buried on Southbourne Beach.

Vets battled to save goldendoodle Juno, two, for 36 hours as she shook uncontrollably and vomited.

Owner Diana Parkes, of Grand Avenue, said other dog walkers have told her of similar incidents on Bournemouth’s beaches.

Mum-of-one Diana said: “It was the scariest, most alarming thing. I take Juno with me for runs along the beach in the mornings, and she often snuffles around as people bury their rubbish in the sand.

“When we got home, I sorted out her breakfast but within minutes she was very ill indeed. She was sick and had awful full-body trembling from her nose to her tail.”

Diana rushed Juno to Spring Corner Veterinary Clinic, where it took three nurses to keep her still and insert a catheter. The young dog was also given three doses of diazepam and fluids.

“The vets were fantastic, but it was so awful,” said Diana.

“When we arrived, there was no: ‘It’s fine, she’ll be all right’ – I think no-one was sure what would happen to her. We were asked if we had lilies in the house, or anything that could have caused the reaction, but there was no reason for it.

“Then we were told: ‘It must be drugs’.

After Diana was told by vets that Juno had eaten a drug, she returned home to research the dog’s symptoms, discovering that they matched perfectly with the effects cannabis has on animals.

“Juno had all the symptoms of cannabis poisoning,” she said. “If someone wants to smoke cannabis, that’s up to them. I think ‘Live and let live’.

"But if it’s left behind on the beach, it can be very dangerous for dogs.”

It’s not the first time Juno’s sense of smell has rooted out trouble.

Diana said: “About four months ago, she disappeared behind a beach hut, and shortly afterwards she appeared to lose all sense of balance.

“She was swaying and couldn’t seem to find her feet.

“Now that I’ve spoken to other dog walkers, I’m finding this isn’t an unusual thing to happen. I just wish people would take their rubbish off the beach.”

Vet Hannah Rivout said: “Juno had already been sick, so it’s difficult to tell what caused it. Every now and again, we have dogs in suffering with symptoms like this, but Juno was really very poorly.”

A Bournemouth Borough Council spokesman declined to comment.