Passive Smoking and Pets:

Passive Smoking and Pets: Can Second Hand Smoke Harm Your Dog?




March 11, 2009 by PDSA
Stub it out! Passive smoking is harmful to pets, warns PDSA
Wednesday 11 March is National No Smoking Day and as people across
the country consider stubbing out once and for all, leading veterinary
charity, PDSA, is encouraging owners to consider their pet’s
health when lighting up.
Research* shows cats exposed to second-hand smoke are twice as
likely to develop feline lymphoma, a potentially fatal form of cancer,
in smoking households. It can also make them sneeze, cough and wheeze.
Dogs are also very susceptible to smoking-related respiratory
problems and their exposure to tobacco smoke has been linked to nasal
and sinus cancers**.
Cigarette smoke can also be extremely harmful to pet birds, which have very sensitive respiratory systems.
“The effects of passive smoking on humans are well known, but
many people don’t realise their pets are also affected by
breathing in second-hand smoke,” says PDSA Senior Veterinary
Surgeon, Sean Wensley.
“Studies have shown that animals dislike toxic fumes in their
living environment, it causes their day-to-day life to become extremely
unpleasant. As with people, the effects of cigarette smoke eventually
take their toll on our pets, who then have to suffer the pain and
distress of life-threatening cancer or chronic breathing
difficulties.”
So next time your cat cuddles up to you on the sofa or your dog
brings his ball for you to throw, please think about their health and
don’t light up!
For more information about pet health log onto www.pdsa.org.uk.

as I dont smoke nor ever have I can understand where they are coming from I choke on the smoke when walking through the gate at the school all the smokers seem to think its ok to gather round the gate entrance and puff away and try kill the rest of us as we are walking through them and the haze of smoke