Naloxone saves Vancouver Island dog ‘Birdie’ from potential OD
Published 11:00 am Tuesday, September 1, 2026
‘Birdie’ is walking proof that Naloxone can save our four-legged friends as well as humans.
The energetic, 1 1/2-year-old mixed breed had a Naloxone kit hanging off her harness during the Aug. 31 International Overdose Awareness day event at Spirit Square in Campbell River.
This wasn’t just for show; Naloxone – which reverses an overdose by blocking the effects of opioids – helped save Birdie’s life.
Back in December Birdie was exposed to a substance in a Campbell River alley and showed signs of overdose.
“Her eyes were closed and she was she kind of like fell off the car seat because she was sitting in the front seat of my car, and I pulled over and got out of the car and came around to the other side to see what was happening,” shared her owner Afton Frost, a local harm reduction worker with AVI Health & Community Services.
“She fell out of the car. And then I noticed that her her eyes were closed, so I popped her eyelids up and her pupils were pinpointed.”
Frost quickly came to the realization that her dog was overdosing.
“It’s something that my my coworkers and I attend to and it’s just something we recognize innately when we see it,” Frost said.
In the nick of time, Frost administered Naloxone.
“What I had in the console of my car was a nasal one,” Frost recalled. “I put it into her nose and I dispensed the dose. (Then) I monitored her for a couple of minutes which is standard overdose response procedure and she was totally fine after that.”
Birdie showed no ill effects during a vet visit a few days later.
“The vet said if you hadn’t told me that she had been exposed to something and overdosed, he said I wouldn’t have known,” Frost said.
Signs of an OD in a dog include unresponsiveness, unusual tiredness, blank stare, stumbling, blue gums, and slowed or no breathing.
Note that a dog can go back into OD, as Naloxone only lasts up to 90 minutes, so a resuscitated dog should not be left alone for the next several hours after receiving the medication.
For more on Naloxone and pets, visit https://vcacanada.com/know-your-pet/naloxone.