Smoking is Harmful to Your Pets!


Smoking is Harmful for Pets!

image of bulldog with message about harmful effects of smoking on pets

While much is often said about the dangers of direct smoking and the harmful effects of secondhand smoke exposure to humans, there is also evidence that dogs, cats, and other pets are also adversely affected.

How:

By ingestion of cigarette or cigar butts which contain toxins

By drinking water that contains cigar or cigarette butts (which can have high concentrations of nicotine).

By breathing secondhand smoke

By ingestion of nicotine replacement gum and patches.

Health Effects:

Breathing problems in dogs and asthmatic-like symptoms in cats

Salivation

Diarrhea

Vomiting

Cardiac abnormalities

Respiratory difficulties and respiratory paralysis

Feline lymphoma in cats

Lung cancer in dogs

Nasal cancer in dogs

Death- From 1-5 cigarettes and from 1/3-1 cigar can be fatal if ingested.

Prevention:

As in the case of children and others in the home, don’t smoke.

If you must smoke take it outside- Don’t expose others to your smoke

Don’t allow others to smoke around your pets.

Keep ashtrays clean- Don’t leave butts in them for pets to find.

Dispose of nicotine gum and patches in receptacles that can’t be accessed by pets.

Consider quitting- The health effects of your smoking on pets is just one more good reason to quit.

Other Animal-Friendly Information

Secondhand Smoke and Pets- American Lung Association of New Hampshire

New Evidence that Second-hand Smoke Harms Pets [03/08-5]- Action on Smoking and Health

Learn more about quitting:

Quitting Tips and Resources

Utah Quitline

Utah Quit Net

Sources:

Bertone, Elizabeth R., Laura A Snyder,and Antony S. Moore, Environmental Tobacco Smoke and Risk of Malignant Lymphoma in Cats, American Journal of Epidemiology 2002; 156:268-273. Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 2002.

Dangerous Plants, PETCO.com, PETCO Animan Supplies, Inc., 2005.

Dr.Ott's Tips- Tobacco Toxicity, C.A.R.E. Critter Adoption and Rescue Effort, Inc., Ruskin, FL,2004.

Goetz, Rebecca J., Thomas N. Jordan, John W.McCain and Nancy Y. Su, Indiana Plants Poisonous to Livestock and Pets, Doorperative Extension Service, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN.

Manning, Anita, Secondhand Smoke the Culprit in Common Cat Cancer, USA Today, July 30, 2002.

Nicotine (Cigarette) Poisoning in Pets, Mar Vista Animal Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA.

Secondhand Smoke in Your Home, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, website url: http//:www.cdc.gov/tobacco/research_data/environmental/etsfact3.htm, page last reviewed January 31, 2005

Tobacco Free Resource Line 1-877-220-3466	Page last updated 3-13-2006	TPCP Home Page
health.utah.gov Home \| UDOH Disclaimer \| UDOH Privacy Policy \| Utah.gov Accessibility Policy ©Copyright Utah Department of Health All rights reserved