Second Hand Smoke
The Great American Smokeout is today. Have you thought about quitting? Here’s a consequence of smoking you may not have considered: second-hand smoke has been linked to a variety of cancers in dogs and other companion animals.
- Dogs who live with smokers have a 60 percent greater risk of lung cancer (the American Journal of Epidemiology)
- Nasal cancer is a particular risk to long-nosed dogs who live with smokers (the American Journal of Epidemiology)
We live so closely with our pets. If we smoke, they get a double-dose of carcinogens. They first inhale second-hand smoke through their nasal passages. Then, smoke particles in the air become trapped in the animal’s fur; these particles are ingested when the animal grooms himself.
If you’re not yet convinced, here are some sobering statistics about cats:
- Cats who live in smoking homes are three times more likely to develop lymphoma, the most common cancer in cats (Tufts University).
- The likelihood of a cat developing lymphoma increases with the number of smokers in the house and the length of exposure (Tufts University and the University of Massachusetts).
If you are a smoker, please put your pets outdoors or in another room while you smoke. A smokeless ashtry or open window may help remove second-hand smoke from the environment.
For further reading:
Second Hand Smoke Affects Pets, Too - College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois, Urbana
