Do you understand how your smoking may be affecting your pets? By Emjay.
Some of you remember the following blog I posted a few months back now. However, further studies show that your pet dog may be smoking up to 15 cigarettes each day! Please see the following news article for further information;
In case you missed our post, here it is again;
Secondhand smoke and your pets;
Did you know….?
There are over 4,000 chemicals in tobacco smoke and over 60 of these are known to cause cancer.
Having the choice to frequently leave the house and breathe fresh air may not be something that most of our beloved pets have. They often have little chance to step outside and escape all of these hazardous toxins.
Air pollution is 8 times higher in homes where smoking is permitted.
Secondhand smoke can cause a number of health problems in our beloved pets.
These can include;
•Respiratory infections and asthma
•Oral cancer and lymphoma in cats
•Lung and nasal cancer in dogs
•Lung cancer in birds
Animals don’t just inhale smoke, the smoke particles are also trapped in their fur and ingested when they groom themselves with their tongues.
Dogs
Dogs have a 60% chance of developing lung cancer in smoking households.
Have increased risk of cancer in the nose or sinus area. Long nosed dogs are twice as likely to develop nasal cancer.
Cats
Cats whose owners smoke are three times more likely to develop lymphoma, the most common feline cancer.
If two people living in the house smoke, the cats were four times more likely to contract the cancer.
Birds
Birds that are exposed to secondhand smoke are more likely to develop serious problems such as lung cancer as well as other respiratory problems like coughing and wheezing.
Birds cannot filter the air that they breathe in, causing smoke to become trapped which blackens their lungs and can lead to pneumonia and secondary infections.
Tobacco smoke can lead to itching and poor quality feathers. Parrots will often attempt to remove poor feathers by plucking.
What can you do?
Homes should be Smokefree for people and pets. If anyone smokes in the home ask them to go outside. To prevent poisoning, put away cigarettes and butts.
Don’t smoke in other people’s homes
So..... Does smoking affect your pets?.......
It certainly does
The best way of avoiding damage to your pet's health is to not smoke around them - or better still, to give up.
Tags sinus Poisoning PReVENT Attempt Nasal Air Tobacco lung Lung cancer Secondhand Smoke INFORMATION Smokefree Lymphoma Coughing cancer Oral Cancer Tobacco smoke respiratory nose Itching Asthma Wheezing Smoking Infections Pollution Lead pneumonia
