Do you smoke? If so, do you smoke around your pets? If the answer to either of these questions is yes, we want to caution you that you could be causing your pet harm. New evidence from a selection of recent studies shows what many veterinarians knew already: smoking around your pets could lead to deadly illnesses and cancers.
Health Dangers of Second-Hand, Third-Hand Smoke on Pets
Most people already recognize that humans have an increased risk for disease from second-hand smoke. Medical experts believe that tobacco smoke plays an important role in causing approximately 500,000 deaths every single year in the United States, including everything from lung cancers to the development of cardiovascular disease.
These risks bleed over to nearly all pets, too, including your dog. But the risk becomes even higher because of the natural way they behave around smoke.
Pets breathe more rapidly than we do – that means they inhale a higher amount of smoke over less time. These increased levels also clear faster in most pets because of the way their bodies metabolize toxins.
Additionally, beware the risks of third-hand smoke; inhalation isn’t your only concern. Pets typically clean themselves by licking, ingesting tobacco-related chemicals that may cause additional damage. Oral ingestion can and will make them feel absolutely atrocious, producing side effects like nausea, dizziness, low blood pressure, convulsions, seizures, and even death if your pup happens to eat a cigarette or two.
Long-term side effects of third-hand smoke include stomach ulcers, esophageal irritation, liver disorders, and sinus cancers. ‘
Increased Risk of Respiratory Diseases in Dogs
There is also at least some evidence to show that second-hand smoke may produce canine asthma in dogs who did not otherwise experience the disorder previously. Worse yet, the asthma experienced can be severe, even requiring hospitalization or death.
Even mild symptoms of asthma in dogs can make your pup’s life challenging. Canine asthma often limits a dog’s ability to play, run, and enjoy life, and may make him miserable, depressed, fatigued, and malaised. Dogs who experience asthma as a result of second-hand smoke are also much more likely to come down with respiratory illnesses, especially if they attend doggy daycare or the local dog park.
Treating symptoms of asthma is costly; expect a visit to the vet at least once a month and daily medications (both oral and inhalation) as symptoms escalate. As your dog grows older, he or she is more likely to need continuous treatment. It becomes harder and harder for your dog to stay active and enjoy life.
Tobacco Smoke Exposure Accelerates Cell Damage, Aging, Mutation
Researchers also identify a link between how much cigarette smoke your pet breathes in, and how much cellular damage they experience. Cellular damage leads to faster cell death, and that increases the risk of mutations like cancer, tumors, or more rapid aging.
In humans, cellular damage manifests as early wrinkles and diseases like COPD. In your dog, it manifests as a greatly shortened lifespan and early detection of diseases mostly seen in seniorhood, like thyroid, kidney, liver, and joint dysfunction.
Even veterinarians recognize that antioxidants (found in certain fruits like blueberries) can reduce cellular damage, but in the case of smoke, it just isn’t enough. Even the smoke from just a few cigarettes a day can be impactful enough to cause harm.
Increased Risk of Respiratory Diseases in Cats
Have cats at home, too? You should know that the risks listed above may actually be higher even still for cats. Felines have especially sensitive respiratory and gastrointestinal systems. Combined with their smaller size, they are much more likely to develop a disease when exposed to even temporarily increased levels of second-hand smoke. Some researchers believe that cats experience harm just from passing by someone who smokes in your neighborhood, much less breathing it in at home.
Pet Marijuana Intoxication on the Rise
The rise of medical marijuana has more people smoking marijuana at home. Even if you don’t smoke cigarettes, you should know that smoking marijuana can be just as harmful. Burning cannabis releases tar, and although the overall risk is higher for cigarettes to cause cancers, it may still irritate your pet’s lungs. Irritated mucosal tissues make your pet much more likely to catch respiratory diseases or develop chronic illnesses later on down the road.
Think vaping or edibles will solve this problem instead? Don’t be so sure. Pets don’t process cannabis the same way we do, and if they inhale the vapor, they may exhibit strange behaviors like anxiety or even aggression. There is at least some evidence to show that inhaling cannabis smoke produces what may be hallucinations or psychosis in pets, too – especially cats.
Protecting Our Pets, Their Health
The easiest way to prevent your pet from suffering due to secondhand smoke is to quit smoking. Smoking cessation aids like patches, gum, inhalers, and medication can help you overcome your addiction for good – speak with your doctor if you’re ready to make the jump.
We recognize that “just quitting” is often easier said than done. If you absolutely cannot quit right now, you should take measures to limit or eliminate your pet’s exposure to secondhand smoke.
- Don’t smoke in the house – not even in a “smoking room.” The idea that smoking in a basement, attic, or closed-off room is protective is false. Smoke will bleed out around the doors and into the rest of the home.
- Don’t visit places with second-hand smoke. If relatives insist on smoking, have them visit you and ask them to smoke outside instead.
- Wash your hands and face after you smoke outside. There’s evidence to show that this may limit how much third-hand smoke your pets are exposed to.
- If possible, change clothes after you smoke to further limit third-hand smoke. Keep “smoking clothes” stashed in a tightly closed-off bag for extra protection.
- Use an in-home air exchange system with a HEPA filter, even if you smoke outdoors. It will strip even more toxins from the air while improving your indoor air quality.
- When traveling, choose smoke-free hotels. Never smoke in the car with pets, even with the window open – acute exposure can make your dog sick.
- For minor smoke exposure, wipe pets down with a damp cloth. If you spend time in an area where you are exposed to smoke beyond your control (e.g., the downtown core or a park), wipe pets down as soon as you come home.
Some situations may make it virtually impossible to limit smoke exposure – for example, living with a bedridden relative who smokes or living in an apartment building. While we cannot advocate for allowing pets to breathe in smoke period, we can recommend that you take whatever measures you can to limit access. If all you can do is limit the smoking to one room and use a HEPA filter, it’s better than nothing!