Living in a house with a smoker puts dogs, cats, and especially birds at greater risk of many health problems. If you are a smoker keep a close eye on your pets for respiratory symptoms from sneezing to coughing to wheezing.
Even if you smoke outside, the smoke that lingers on your hands and clothes is extremely toxic to your pets. There have been several findings linking certain cancers and a number of respiratory issues to pets that live in a smoking household.
We all know that smoking is bad for our health, but what might surprise many pet-owners are the dangerous effects that same smoke can have on their four-legged loved ones after some time.
Second-hand smoke isn’t just dangerous for people…it’s also dangerous for pets.
Dogs exposed to second-hand smoke have more eye infections, allergies, and respiratory issues including lung cancer. A study at Colorado State University demonstrated that dogs living in smoking environments also had an increased incidence of nasal cancer. Interestingly, the length of a dog’s nose is associated with the type of cancer incurred from inhaling second-hand smoke.
“the incidence of nasal tumors is 250% higher in long nosed dogs living in smoke
filled environments”
Long nosed dogs are prone to nasal cancer while short nosed dogs often get lung cancer. Here’s why. Long nosed dogs (Collies, Labradors, Dobermans, etc) have increased surface area in their nasal canals that traps inhaled particles. The toxins and carcinogens in tobacco smoke accumulate in the nasal mucus, putting long nosed dogs at greater risk for tumors in their lengthy snouts. In fact, the incidence of nasal tumors is 250% higher in long nosed dogs living in smoke filled environments. Short noses aren’t effective “trappers” and allow more inhaled particles and carcinogens to reach the lungs. That’s why short nosed dogs (Pug, Shih Tzu, Pekingese, etc.) develop more lung cancer than their long-nosed friends.
“Cats that live in a smoky environment are at greater risk of developing lung cancer”
What about cats? Cats that live in a smoky environment are at greater risk of developing lung cancer, which makes sense because cats have short noses. Unrelated to nose length, felines that inhale second-hand smoke also have a higher incidence of lymphoma. Cats exposed to smoke are about 2 times more likely to develop lymphoma, a cancer of the lymph nodes that carries a poor prognosis for survival. That rate increases with the length of time a cat lives in a smoky household.
‘Cats that groom excessively develop tumors in their mouths from licking off toxic particles
that accumulate on their fur”
As if second-hand smoke isn’t bad enough, cats suffer health consequences from “third hand smoke”, which is the residue that clings to furniture, rugs, and pet fur long after the air in the room is cleared. Cats that groom excessively develop tumors in their mouths from licking off toxic particles that accumulate on their fur from smoke-filled air. These tidy felines expose the mucous membranes in their mouths to carcinogens that cause oral tumors. Good hygiene is not healthy in this case. Is it possibly better to be a dirty dog?
Birds are other pets that are affected by second-hand smoke. Birds have respiratory systems that are extremely sensitive to airborne pollutants making them very likely to develop respiratory problems (pneumonia) as well as lung cancer when exposed to second-hand smoke. These feathered pets also have a higher risk of skin, heart, eye, and fertility problems when housed in smoky environments.
read the full article below
https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/the-effects-of-second-hand-smoke-on-pets
So if you do live in a house with a smoker or your friends, relatives, dog walker or pet sitter smokes . Its really importnt to keep your pets immune system strong. Here are a few tips and of course some points to help out your pets.
Get a quality air filter unit and keep up with filter changes as recommended by the manufacturer. Open doors and windows to allow your house to breathe and offer fresh air to your pets, especially those trapped inside all day (usually cats and birds).
Feed a species apporpriate diet to boost your pets immune system.
Pull blood every six months get a CBC panel
If you have a bird serioulsly considering rehoming them
Consider quitting. If you haven’t done it for the sake of your own health, maybe concern for the health of your furry or feathered best friend will be the motivation you need to give up your smoking habit once and for all.
Points to boost immune system and support respiration
LI4 is on the inside of the dew claw of the front paw, where it attaches to the 2nd metacarpal aka the paw If no dew claw then just lightly put your finger tip on the spot where it would be lightly move your finger in a circular motion.
LU7 Inside of the front leg 1.5 cun above the crease of the carpus.
PE6 Inside of the front limb between the tendons three cun above the crease in the wrist ( transverse carpal crease)
HT 7 PE7 in the depression between the tendon and the ligament it is a natural depression and pretty easy to find just above the bend in the wrist. Your fingers will slide in the groove on either side. Hold both sides that is actually 2 points Ht7 and Pe7
CV17 ventral midline 4th intercostal space caudal border of the elbows.
ST 36 find the front of the knee, and slide your finger down into the little groove on the lateral side of each knee
LIV3 between the 2nd and 3rd metatarsal
LIV2 medial aspect of the 2nd digit distal to the metatarsal phalangial joint
