It turns out that pets can also suffer if their owners smoke. They are passive smokers, which can lead to various illnesses, including cancer. Read this article to learn about the effects of nicotine smoke on animals and the potential consequences.
What harm does smoke cause to dogs' health?
All dogs have a highly sensitive sense of smell, so they suffer greatly from unpleasant and harmful odors. Dogs with long noses, regularly exposed to nicotine, are 2.5 times more likely to develop nasal cancer than dogs from non-smoking households. This occurs because these dogs have a large surface area exposed to carcinogens released by nicotine. This disease progresses rapidly in animals, and they can survive less than a year.
Short-nosed dogs, such as bulldogs and pugs, are unable to filter harmful carcinogens, so secondhand smoke affects them as much as if they were smokers themselves. This increases the risk of lung cancer in pets by 1.6 times compared to dogs from non-smoking households.
Dogs regularly exposed to nicotine smoke are more likely to suffer from lung disease and various eye irritations. They may develop respiratory problems, persistent coughing, and depression. Dogs may also become lethargic and lose interest in play. Because dogs lick their fur, which is contaminated with carcinogens from tobacco smoke, they can also become poisoned.
If a dog finds and eats a cigarette butt, it too can be poisoned. Three cigarette butts is a dangerous dose for a dog.
The smaller the dog, the greater the risk, as nicotine has the strongest effect on it.
Harmful to domestic cats
Cats also suffer from harmful tobacco smoke. It not only settles on their fur but is also ingested. Cats are more susceptible to secondhand smoke because they are very clean and constantly groom themselves, exposing them to large amounts of carcinogens. As a result, cats who live in households with smokers develop oral lesions called squamous cell carcinoma. This is a fatal condition for cats, with 90% of pets dying from it within one year.
Secondhand smoke can also cause lymph node cancer in cats, a disease that is fatal for 75% of cats. If diagnosed, cats also die within one year. The longer an owner smokes, the greater the risk.
If a cat regularly inhales tobacco smoke, it can cause lung disease, eye irritation, and may cause labored breathing and coughing. It can also affect the pet's behavior, making them lethargic and depressed.
The effects of passive smoking on small pets
Small pets, including exotic birds, are very sensitive to various environmental pollutants, including tobacco smoke. Therefore, they also suffer from secondhand smoke. Exotic animals kept in households with smokers have an increased risk of lung cancer and pneumonia, and develop severe allergic diseases of the respiratory system and skin.
How to protect pets from smoke
The best way to protect pets from tobacco smoke is for owners to quit smoking. If you're not ready to give up this harmful habit, don't smoke in front of your pets. Do so in areas inaccessible to your pet. Regularly wash and clean their fur to prevent harmful substances from accumulating on it, which they can then lick off.
Avoid bringing pets into rooms where someone has recently smoked, as the odor may not be noticeable to humans, but your pet will still detect it. Ventilate the rooms regularly to ensure that tobacco smoke doesn't linger and instead escapes the home. Air filters or fans can also be used for this purpose.
Remember not to leave cigarettes, cigarette butts, ashes, and nicotine patches, even used ones, freely accessible, as they still contain nicotine. Your pet could reach these harmful items, eat them, and become poisoned, leaving you powerless to help.
Also consult a veterinarian who will prescribe the necessary vitamins for your pet that can neutralize the harmful effects.
If you're not ready to quit smoking, that's your choice, but don't put your loved ones, including your furry pets, at risk: they'll suffer from nicotine without realizing it, and you won't be able to immediately determine the cause of their behavioral changes. Therefore, remember to take preventative measures and keep nicotine products out of their reach.
