Pet Safety / Compounds / Cocaine

Is Cocaine safe for dogs and cats?

High risk for pets

Dogs can be exposed to cocaine through accidental ingestion of their owner's drug supply, consumption of drug-containing items (bags, packaging), or in the context of drug trafficking seizures. Cocaine toxicosis in dogs produces clinical signs analogous to human toxicity: agitation, hyperthermia, tachycardia, hypertension, muscle tremors, and seizures. Dogs lack the same hepatic and plasma cholinesterase efficiency for benzoylecgonine metabolism as humans, and CNS manifestations may be severe. Veterinary management focuses on sedation (diazepam), thermoregulation, and cardiovascular support; there is no specific antidote. Cocaine detection in seizing dogs without witnessed exposure is a presenting diagnostic challenge for emergency veterinary clinicians. ASPCA APCC reports cocaine as a recurring toxicant in companion animals, predominantly in urban areas with higher drug prevalence.

What is cocaine?

The IUPAC name is methyl (1R,2R,3S,5S)-3-benzoyloxy-8-methyl-8-azabicyclo[3.2.1]octane-2-carboxylate.

Also known as: methyl (1R,2R,3S,5S)-3-benzoyloxy-8-methyl-8-azabicyclo[3.2.1]octane-2-carboxylate, Benzoylmethylecgonine, Neurocaine, L-Cocaine.

IUPAC name
methyl (1R,2R,3S,5S)-3-benzoyloxy-8-methyl-8-azabicyclo[3.2.1]octane-2-carboxylate
CAS number
50-36-2
Molecular formula
C17H21NO4
Molecular weight
303.35 g/mol
SMILES
CN1C2CCC1C(C(C2)OC(=O)C3=CC=CC=C3)C(=O)OC
PubChem CID
446220

Risk for dogs

High risk

Dogs can be exposed to cocaine through accidental ingestion of their owner's drug supply, consumption of drug-containing items (bags, packaging), or in the context of drug trafficking seizures. Cocaine toxicosis in dogs produces clinical signs analogous to human toxicity: agitation, hyperthermia, tachycardia, hypertension, muscle tremors, and seizures. Dogs lack the same hepatic and plasma cholinesterase efficiency for benzoylecgonine metabolism as humans, and CNS manifestations may be severe. Veterinary management focuses on sedation (diazepam), thermoregulation, and cardiovascular support; there is no specific antidote. Cocaine detection in seizing dogs without witnessed exposure is a presenting diagnostic challenge for emergency veterinary clinicians. ASPCA APCC reports cocaine as a recurring toxicant in companion animals, predominantly in urban areas with higher drug prevalence.

Regulatory consensus

1 regulatory bodyhas classified Cocaine.

AgencyYearClassificationNotes
DEA—Schedule IIAcknowledges cocaine's limited medical use while recognizing its high potential for abuse and physical and psychological dependence

Regulators apply different standards of evidence — animal-data weighting, exposure-pattern assumptions, epidemiological power thresholds — which is why two scientific bodies can review the same data and reach different conclusions. The disagreement is the data.

Where pets encounter cocaine

  • Industrial Facilities — Manufacturing plants, Chemical storage areas, Waste treatment sites
  • Occupational Environments — Factories, Warehouses, Transportation vehicles

Safer alternatives

Lower-risk approaches that achieve a similar outcome to Cocaine:

  • Therapeutic alternatives (consult prescriber)
    Trade-offs: Drug-specific. Cannot substitute without medical guidance.
    Relative cost: 1.2-2×

Frequently asked questions

Is cocaine safe for pets?

Dogs can be exposed to cocaine through accidental ingestion of their owner's drug supply, consumption of drug-containing items (bags, packaging), or in the context of drug trafficking seizures. Cocaine toxicosis in dogs produces clinical signs analogous to human toxicity: agitation, hyperthermia, tachycardia, hypertension, muscle tremors, and seizures. Dogs lack the same hepatic and plasma cholinesterase efficiency for benzoylecgonine metabolism as humans, and CNS manifestations may be severe. Veterinary management focuses on sedation (diazepam), thermoregulation, and cardiovascular support; there is no specific antidote. Cocaine detection in seizing dogs without witnessed exposure is a presenting diagnostic challenge for emergency veterinary clinicians. ASPCA APCC reports cocaine as a recurring toxicant in companion animals, predominantly in urban areas with higher drug prevalence.

What products contain cocaine?

Cocaine appears in: Manufacturing plants (Industrial facilities); Chemical storage areas (Industrial facilities); Factories (Occupational environments); Warehouses (Occupational environments).

See Cocaine in the pets app

Look up products containing cocaine, compare to alternatives, and explore the full data record.

Open in pets View raw API data

Sources (3)
  1. US DEA: Cocaine — Schedule II Controlled Substance Classification, Legitimate Medical Use (Topical ENT Anesthesia), Abuse Potential, and Federal Scheduling History (21 USC 812; 2022) (2022) — regulatory
  2. Goldfrank's Toxicologic Emergencies: Cocaine — Mechanism of Action (Dopamine/NE/5HT Reuptake Inhibition), Cardiovascular Toxicity (MI, Vasospasm, Aortic Dissection), CNS Effects, Crack vs. Intranasal Routes, and Beta-Blocker Contraindication (11th Ed., 2019) (2019) — academic
  3. ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center: Cocaine — Companion Animal Toxicosis, CNS and Cardiovascular Signs in Dogs, Emergency Management, and APCC Case Series (2022) (2022) — regulatory

Reference data, not professional advice. Aggregates publicly available regulatory and scientific data; not a substitute for veterinary, medical, legal, or regulatory advice. Why we built ALETHEIA →