Secondary and third hand cigarette smoke can give your dog nose and lung cancer
Certain dogs are more susceptible, read this article to find out!
We all know that smoking is not good and can cause lung cancer in humans. But what are the effects on secondary smoke for our beloved pets? And what about the third hand smoke? Have you even heard of third hand smoke? It is residue composed of harmful compounds like nicotine that gets on clothes, rugs and furniture.
If you are a smoker or live with a smoker, your dog is not only breathing in the secondary smoke but as they are laying on your lap or on your couch they are absorbing the nicotine onto their fur. Our carpets and rugs contain a high residue concentrate of tobacco smoke. Dogs spend a good deal of they day on our carpets. Not only are they breathing in toxins but they are licking the toxins off of their fur from laying on the coach and rugs or laying on you!
Putting aside all the information I am going to share with you in this article, lets just think of our animals size compared to a human. In North America the average human weights around 170 pounds. Our dogs come in various sizes from a 4 pound tea cup to a 50 plus pound dog. Simply put, a dogs body including their lungs and heart is much smaller than a human organs. When these innocent animals breath in toxins it will affect their organs exponentially more than of a human. There “bucket of toxins” fills up much quicker than a human. Half of dogs over the age of ten will develop cancer. Six million dogs will get cancer this year. Think about that.
I dug deeper to learn facts on second and third hand cigarettes smoke to dogs. Our canine companion exposed to secondhand smoke suffer with more allergies, eye infections and respiratory issues, including lung cancer.
I hope after you read this publication, it may help you stop smoking for the health of your dog (and you). Here are some interesting facts:
The length of your dogs nose will contribute to the higher percentage chance of your dog getting cancer. Long nosed dog breeds have a double risk of nose cancer. Their nose acts as a filter so less of the tobacco get to their lungs. This increased exposure of toxic cancer particles in their nose, increases the risk of nose cancer.
The short (and flat) to medium nosed breeds have a higher risk to lung cancer. Since their noses are much shorter/flatter, the nose can not filter out the ultra fine toxic particles and the toxins go directly deep to their lungs.
Dogs can get Nicotine Poisoning. In addition to dogs inhaling nicotine, they can ingest it by eating the cigarette or the butt, drinking nicotine refill liquid or chewing on nicotine refill canisters for electronic nicotine delivery devices.
Nicotine toxicity that causes death to dogs have been documented at 20 to 100 milligrams. One regular cigarette contains 9 - 30 mg nicotine; one cigar contains 15 - 40 MG. Cigarette butts contain 5 -7 mg of nicotine.
If your dog eats one cigarette, more than one cigarette butt, chewing tobacco, nicotine refill capsule or liquid refilling solution, GET THEM TO A VET RIGHT AWAY!
Signs of Nicotine poisoning:
vomiting
unsteadiness
drooling
tiredness
fast heart rate
shaking
weakness
seizures
death
This information is also valid for cats and particularly birds.
Disclaimer: I am not a vet, just passing information on to you