The Dangers of Secondhand Smoke For Pets

The Animal Rescue Site ^ | ca. 7/20/14

[Slings and Arrows]

Though the dangers secondhand smoke poses to humans are well documented and understood, many smokers still subject their pets to these hazards on a daily basis. It is becoming increasingly apparent, however, that doing so puts our furry friends in harm's way as much as it does us. As recently as 2006, the Surgeon General's Annual Report stated that secondhand smoke puts pets at risk, and numerous professional organizations have issued statements encouraging pet owners to keep their homes smoke-free for the benefit of their animals. If you're considering quitting smoking but need a bit more motivation, think of the health benefits that your pet could gain.

Secondhand smoke can cause lung cancer and other diseases in many pets, but cats are at a higher risk than dogs. According to Americans for Nonsmokers' Rights, that fact has largely to do with the grooming habits of felines.

"One reason cats are so susceptible to secondhand smoke is because of their grooming habits. Cats constantly lick themselves while grooming, therefore they lick up the cancer-causing carcinogens that accumulate on their fur," Dr. Carolyn MacAllister, a cooperative extension service veterinarian with Oklahoma State University, told the source.

In addition to dogs and cats, birds have been known to acquire cancer and disease as a result of secondhand smoke.

[HerrBlucher]

Both my parents smoked like chimneys all through my childhood and the childhood of my 4 siblings. My mother likely smoked while she breastfed us. The car was always filled with smoke too. We grew up in smoggy southern california when it was at its worst in the 1960’s. We are all in our 60’s now and none of us have had any lung issues whatsoever. We had several pets and none of them had any lung issues either or died of cancer of any type.

[9422WMR]

But it’s okay to smoke pot around the pets. Hell it’s good for you according to the stoners in CO and OR!

[cripplecreek]

I see a lot of global warming style “science” here that doesn’t express anything more than belief.

Most pets have considerably shorter lifespans than humans and the likelihood of disease increases with age. I don’t smoke now but I had plenty of pets and none ever developed cancer till one I had long after quitting. I’ve only had one dog that managed to develop 2 different types of cancer in her old age and I got her long after I quit smoking. The first was a cancer of the nerve sheath in her leg that was surgically removed and then she developed pancreatic cancer which killed her about 2 years later.

In dealing with my dog’s cancer I discussed it extensively with my vet and she claims that most cancers in dogs are due to genetic predisposition rather than environmental factors because of their shorter lifespans. They generally don’t live long enough to develop diseases resulting from environmental factors unless the environmental factors are rather severe.Things like lung size are completely meaningless.

[GeronL]

smoke in your lungs is never a good thing

[EinNYC]

Both my parents smoked like chimneys all through my childhood and I got asthma for the rest of my life as a result. My father died of lung cancer. Smoking undoubtedly exacerbated my mother's heart issues and may well have accelerated her Alzheimers. Don't even begin to blather to me that secondhand smoke is harmless.

And, I think it's cruel to subject pets, with them being captive in your environment, to secondhand smoke. It can't in any way be good for them if it downright doesn't give them cancer or respiratory problems.

[FlingWingFlyer]

It probably won’t be long before we start seeing these “designer” Pot Shops selling marijuana-laced doggie biscuits to their pothead customers. Whadda country!

[HerrBlucher]

I wasn’t blathering to you, why would you even think that? I was simply giving my ancectode regarding second hand smoke. Post hoc ergo Propter hoc is the most common logical fallacy and it permeates peoples thinking on just about everything.

[HerrBlucher]

I see a lot of global warming style “science” here that doesn’t express anything more than belief.

Its positively Algorian.

[PA Engineer]

What difference does it make to you?

I would like to know too. The story smelled like a feline with irritable bowel syndrome.

[xone]

one got hit by a car.

Well there you go, poor thing couldn't see the car through the smoke.

[uglybiker]

And the cat will get blown up and run over in the raid.

[Texan5]

I think you invented a word...

I smoke a cigarette now and again-both my husbands smoked maybe half a pack a day. The only pets that didn’t die of old age were a dog who died as a result of a fall when playing outdoors, and 4 shelter cats over the years who were disabled genetically or from an injury, but we adopted anyway-and they still lived to be over 12.

My dog-a Husky-is 15 and healthy, and the Chow I had before her was 17 when he died in his sleep. My non-disabled cats live to 18-21-I’ve never had a pet that had cancer.

My human family members live quite awhile, especially the women-late 90’s to 100 is not uncommon-and a lot of them smoke. I’ve not lost a relative to cancer, either...

[DocJhn]

My wife had a cat I wished would croak from second hand smoke or any other method of death! Finally after 15 years it died a natural death!

[Marie]

Amazing. I’m a smoker. My mixed-breed dog died last year at the age of 20 and I’ve got a healthy 12 year old cat right now.

My mother’s German Shepherd lived to 22. Lived only with smokers for his entire life.

Want your anecdotal evidence? I’ve got it right here.

As *everyone* in my family smokes and we’ve *all* had exceptionally long-lived pets (to the point that vets have asked to study them to understand how they live so long in great health), I’ll ask you to look into the hygiene hypothesis.

Then, maybe, you can explain how my asthmatic friend’s asthma magically cleared up when she took up smoking in her 20’s. (I’ve heard that story much more than once. Had another friend who didn’t smoke, but found that a menthol stopped an attack better than an inhaler. Ended up carrying around a pack of cigarettes for the occasional attack.)

[publius911]

Though the dangers secondhand smoke poses to humans are well documented and understood, many smokers still subject their pets to these hazards on a daily basis.

The only truly scientific 20+ year study of second hand smoke was done through the United Nations World Health Organization (WHO.)

When completed, it did not confirm the expected results and was hidden so well, no one knows where it went.

"the dangers are well understood?"

That says it all.
No citation made.
No citation possible.

[publius911]

As recently as 2006, the Surgeon General's Annual Report stated that secondhand smoke puts pets at risk, and numerous professional organizations have issued statements encouraging pet owners to keep their homes smoke-free for the benefit of their animals. If you're considering quitting smoking but need a bit more motivation, think of the health benefits that your pet could gain.

What?
You gave up on the "it's for the children" opinions?

This is the most important issue in your life, is it?

[Veto!]

Glad you had/have healthy pets Marie.

[publius911]

Both my parents smoked like chimneys all through our childhood and we did not get asthma for the rest of our lives as a result. My father died of old age in his 80s. Smoking undoubtedly did not exacerbate my mother's heart issues and she did not suffer from Alzheimers her entire life; she died in her 90s.

Bad genes, on the other hand, is an entirely different issue. Don't even begin to blather to me that bad genes do not often also cause some very serious mental issues!

According to the WHO study, secondhand smoke is harmless, BUT no one, to my knowledge, ever suggested that smoking is good for you.

[skinkinthegrass]

that amazin', A Venus Fly-Trap smokin'

[Marie]

I just get frustrated because *everything* is blamed on smoking. The house could’ve had terrible insulation or the animal could’ve had bad food. But if there’s a smoker - well, that *must* be it.

I didn’t start smoking until I was 24 and I didn’t allow a cigarette near my kids until I was almost 30. (By then they were 8 and 9 years old)

I was the Sterilization Mom from hell.

But a funny thing happened when the kids would go to stay at my mom’s farm. Their allergies, welts, rashes, and asthma would magically disappear within a week. Wood smoke from the fire, hay mounds, cigarette smoke, animal dander, and animal poop... Yup. At the farm, they’d be exposed to all of it and they’d be healthy as horses.

Then they’d come home to the sterilization nazi and be sick as hell within another week.

Then I came across the hygiene hypothesis and realized that I might be *too* clean.

I had a dog that came down with spinal cancer right before that realization and sent her to my mom’s farm to live out her last days. The dog’s cancer went into remission and she lived for another eight years.

Go figure.

All I’m saying is that cigarettes are being demonized and that the dangers are exaggerated.

Anecdotal evidence is not proof - one way or another. Your stories are no less valid than mine, but that’s not science.

(And, as for why our animals live for so long, I believe that it’s a lack of stress and constant company. There’s always a mom at home, we all believe in dog doors so the animal never needs to hold it, self-feeders so they can graze, and it’s peaceful. The animal can come and go as they see fit, eat and drink as they wish, are part of a family and always have the company of a ‘pack member’ in the form of a stay-t-home mom. There’s a reliable schedule and they always have slept in the bed with a favored kid. That’s the only commonality that all of our long-lived pets have had.)