Secondhand Smoke:
Pets Need Protection Too
Summary:
Pets share our space and breathe in a large amount of the 7,000 chemicals found in cigarette smoke. This smoke can also cover the fur and feathers of pets, which they can eat when they groom themselves. Secondhand Smoke comes from a variety of tobacco products like cigarettes, electronic cigarettes (e-cigs), cigars or pipes.
Did you know?
Secondhand Smoke (SHS) is smoke "puffed out" by people who smoke tobacco products like cigarettes, electronic cigarettes (e-cigs), cigars, or pipes.
Pets share our space and breathe in many of the 7,000 chemicals in cigarette smoke. This smoke can also cover the fur and feathers of pets, which they can eat when they groom themselves.
Tobacco Smoke is Harmful to Your Pet's Health.
All pets are at risk of having eye and skin pain and breathing problems when they are in direct contact with tobacco smoke and smoke residue.
- Dogs who live in a smoking household are 3 times more likely to get lung or nose cancers.
- Cats who live in a smoking household are more than 3 times more likely to get cancer in the mouth or cancer in their immune system.
- Birds are susceptible to chemicals in the air and have a high risk of getting lung cancer and pneumonia when in contact with SHS.
What Can You Do?
Stop smoking for both your and your pet's health. If you do smoke, don't smoke around your pet. Pets become very sick and can die from eating tobacco products. Keep all tobacco products and cigarette butts out of the reach of your pets.
For free help to stop smoking, please contact the Smoker's Helpline at 1-800-QUIT-NOW.
For more of my original articles, please visit my Pet Articles blog.
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