We all know and it’s well documented that smoking cigarettes can be deadly not only for the smoker but also for those people around the smoker who are exposed to the secondhand smoke. Since cigarette smoke is so unhealthy for people it’s not much of a stretch to think it could be bad for your pets as well.
As you might have concluded, secondhand smoke can be just as bad for your pets as it is for your kids. Researchers at the Tufts College of Veterinary Medicine recently concluded that oral cancer was much more prevalent in cats that live with smokers than those that do not. It is hypothesized that the carcinogens in secondhand smoke adhere to the cat’s fur. Then when cats groom themselves with their tongues they expose the membranes in their mouths to harmful carcinogens which can ultimately lead to oral cancer. Likewise, cats living with smokers are more than 2X as likely to get the deadly form of lymph node cancer, malignant lymphoma.
Similar studies have also demonstrated the negative effects secondhand smoke can have on dogs. Dogs living with smokers are much more likely to develop lung and sinus cancer. The effects are even more pronounced in dogs with short snouts like pugs, boxers, etc. Their shorter nasal passages are not as effective at stopping the carcinogens in secondhand smoke from reaching their lungs. Both of these forms of cancer, nasal and lung, are very serious and usually lead to death.
Obviously the best thing to do is to stop smoking. You will not only extend and improve the quality of your life but also that of the people and pets around you. If you cannot or do not want to stop smoking than at the very least step outside to smoke. Your pets will love you for it!
Also if your pets smoke, take away their cigarettes!
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