Second-Hand Smoke and Its Effects on Your Pets

  Posted on July 29, 2014  by joyofliving  No comments

Jessie, the well-mannered pooch with the perfect amount of grace, class and sophistication:

Happy Tuesday! Hope things are going well in your world today! As long as you are here to read this blog post, that means you are alive – something for which to be grateful. I am blessed to be happy and healthy (although the happy part is usually contingent upon whether or not that mangy cat Marty is in the house!)

Having good health is something we should never take for granted.  When we feel great, we rarely think about it, and when we feel badly, it’s consumes us.

Keeping your pet healthy is important, too, and I am sure that as a pet lover, you do all you can in your power to make sure your furry little friend is always in tip-top shape! However, did you know there is a habit many people have that can be very dangerous to your pet?  If you smoke, then you may want to keep reading.

We all know that smoking is bad for your health. No surprise there, right? But did you know that the same dangerous effects smoking has on humans can also affect pets at the same time?

Studies have shown that dogs that are exposed to large amounts of second-hand smoke have significant changes to their lung tissue over time. This could translate to fibrosis, scarring of the lung tissue or even cancerous lesions. Gross!

There was even a report published two years ago about a cat that developed tracheal carcinoma after being exposed to copious amounts of second-hand smoke in the home. In fact, some studies have revealed that second-hand smoke can potentially double the risk of lymphoma development in cats! Yikes! I mean, I am not a fan of Party Marty, but I would never wish such a thing upon him.

Many veterinarians believe that once a pet’s owner quits smoking, certain conditions in the pets tend to improve or resolve themselves, such as asthma or bronchitis.  If you do smoke, there are a few telltale signs that your habit is affecting your pet’s health.

If your pet suffers from asthma, allergic lung disease or bronchitis, you may notice a persistent dry hacking or progressive cough. Your pet may have more frequent asthma attacks, which can often be difficult to manage.

Further, if you are a smoker, please be careful of how and where you dispose of your tobacco products.  If your pet ingests any of them, it can lead to gastrointestinal issues, such as vomiting, diarrhea, drooling and trembling.  If your pet ingests high doses of nicotine, he may exhibit excitement, odd behavior, and seizures. In fact, he could potentially die.

While kicking the smoking habit seems to be the obvious answer here, if you still want to smoke, please do not do so around your pet. And remember to thoroughly wash your hands after smoking and before touching your pet or anything in which it may come into contact.

Should your pet accidentally consume any of your tobacco products, please contact your veterinarian immediately.

That is my lesson for today! Although I do not smoke, I have been called smoking hot…but I think that is something entirely different than tobacco!

Thanks to moderndogmagazine.com for this insightful information!