Cigarettes are harmful for pets

Just as cigarettes are harmful for humans, they are dangerous for animals too. For example, in 2014, a Staffordshire Bull Terrier in Great Britain passed away after chewing on a refill cartridge for an e-cigarette.

E-cigarette refill cartridges tend to arouse the curiousity of pets, especially dogs. This is because there are many different scents. For this reason, if you smoke, it is important to place refill cartridges, cigarettes, tobacco and cigarette butts out of your pet's reach.

Intoxication and poisoning

The owner of the Staffordshire Bull Terrier quickly noticed the first signs of intoxication after her dog chewed on the refill cartridge. Some of these symptoms were hypersalivation, a purple tongue, and vomiting. Some other symptoms that pets can have in this type of situation is depression, hyperactivity, a loss of balance, and shivering.

Like with all type of poisonings, it is important to react very quickly and take your pet to the veterinarian as soon as possible. For a dog, a toxic dose is about 10mg per kilo (around 2.2 pounds). If you think that your dog is experiencing these symptoms, do not make your pet vomit or drink. This might make the situation worse.

The dangers of second-hand smoke

Humans are not the only ones who can suffer from second-hand smoke. Passive smoking is also very harmful to our furry friends. For example, cigarette smoke irritates their respiratory system and can leave harmful toxins on their fur.

In Scotland, researchers from the University of Glasgow studied the consequences of second-hand smoke on animals. They found that animals can also suffer from the smoke that they inhale.

Some of the negative effects that second-hand smoke has on pets is cell damage and weight gain. Additionally, like humans, cigarette smoke also increases the risk of developing cancer. For instance, according to a study, cats are three times more likely to develop lymphoma if their owner is a smoker. Moreover, cats tend to be more negatively affected by passive smoking because they groom themselves by licking their fur. This means that they are ingesting the dangerous cigarette smoke and toxins left on their coat.

When it comes to dogs, breeds with long snouts and flat heads are the most at risk of developing lung cancer.

Did you know that second-hand smoke was dangerous for pets?

Originally written by Irène Dousset (Yummypets) and translated by Jennifer Eubank (Yummypets)

Photo credit: iStock