Second-hand smoking and pets

According to recent news, there are 642,960 dogs, and 676,800 cats suffering ill health at the hands of their smoking owners. What is more, 1 in 5 admit that they would refuse to quit, even if they could see that the habit was making their pet ill.

Dan Marchant, a smoking cessation expert is encouraging pet owners who smoke to educate themselves on the risks they're putting their pets in when they smoke around them and to raise awareness of the high number of pets living with second-hand smoke-related illnesses right now.

Dan Marchant, smoking cessation expert at Vape Club:

"Cigarettes are dangerous to animals in a number of ways, and it can affect each animal differently. It's not just a lit cigarette that poses a threat either, tobacco is poisonous and its ingestion can be often fatal if not spotted soon enough.

Pets are at risk of second-hand smoke because of their close proximity to their owners. Animals like dogs and cats will snuggle up to owners where possible. The risk is also increased with caged animals or those that live in tanks as they can not leave the room.

Pet owners who smoke also need to consider the risk of thirdhand smoke. In 2009 a study published by Harvard Medical School summarised that the dangerous combinations of chemicals and gasses produced by cigarettes are easily transferred to clothes, fur and fabrics such as carpets. This is known as third-hand smoke and presents a clear danger to animals, particularly self-cleaning animals, such as cats and dogs.

Smoking around dogs will lead to an increased likelihood of respiratory illnesses, allergies and eye problems. The size of a dog's nose can also come into play, those with larger or longer noses are at greater risk of nasal cancers, dogs with shorter noses will suffer more from lung cancer.

The symptoms of nicotine poisoning in pets include vomiting, diarrhoea, weakness, lethargy and seizures. Nicotine poisoning requires immediate treatment and you should seek assistance from a veterinarian immediately.

Nicotine poisoning around pets is more common than one would think and sadly is a rising trend due to the direct cause of nicotine containing products being left around unattended. E-liquids are the most obvious case of this happening, containing a liquid form of nicotine concentrate which can easily be swallowed or come into contact with when not supervised. Before e-liquids hit the market, however, there were also cases of pets coming into fatal contact with cigarettes and even nicotine gum, which also includes the chemical xylitol (toxic to pets). It's important to always keep nicotine products out of reach from pets at all times, according to the Pet Poison Helpline,

Here are some useful signals to be made aware of which could suggest your pet has been poisoned and is in need of veterinary attention immediately.

This is often as a result of inhaling a toxic substance and results in an adverse effect which is fortunately highly visible to owners. It's important to never directly exhale any nicotine products in the face of a pet as they are exposed directly to a substance they aren't used to. Contact veterinary care immediately if these symptoms prove severe and cause your pet apparent discomfort.

Vomiting, Diarrhea, Disorientation, Lethargy, Convulsions, Pupil Dilation, Gastrointestinal Irritation

These symptoms are most commonly associated with swallowing of poisons and as stated often occur only an hour after ingestion. The degree to which pets are affected by nicotine depends on how much is ingested as well as how much the animal weighs. Symptoms have been experienced at doses as low as 1mg per kg, whilst the average lethal dosage in dogs is 9.2mg per kg. If your pet shows any severe signs of these symptoms, as well as staggering or heart palpitations, it is vital to get in touch with a vet as soon as possible.

Excessive Scratching, Swelling, Licking, Agitation

Obviously, these are common traits of household pets yet if any of these symptoms appear extremely recurrent it is possible your pet has come into physical contact with nicotine. Always keep a lookout for red skin underneath the coat and if it becomes ulcerated or is bleeding, then please seek veterinary aid promptly".