Study Shows that Secondhand Smoke is Dangerous to Household Pets
It only stands to reason that it is harmful to humans, it must be harmful to animals as well, especially the household pets of smokers.
A study just completed at the Tuft College of Veterinary Medicine had found that there is a strong relationship between second hand smoke and certain cancers in cats.
The number of cats who have contracted a mouth cancer known as squamous cell carcinoma was found to be higher in animals from homes with smokers that those who live in smoke free homes. Another fact that turned up as a result of the research is that cats who live with smokers for five years or more develop more cases of the cancer.
They state that the reason why cats are so susceptible to second hand smoke is the fact that they are constantly licking themselves and in doing so ingest the cancer causing residue that has accumulated in their fur.
This is not the only type of cancer that cats who live in homes with smokers are at an increased risk of contracting and that is malignant lymphoma, which is a cancer of the lymph nodes and cats in a smoking home are twice as likely to come down with it as cats who live in a non smoking home. Three out of four cats who get malignant lymphoma die within 12 months.
With dogs, secondhand smoke is associated with an increase in the amount of nose and sinus area cancers and well as lung cancer. And the number of dogs in smoking homes who get cancer is greater than the number who live in non smoking homes. Certain breeds of dogs are most susceptible and those are the ones with longer noses. Dogs with shorter or medium length noses have higher rates for lung cancer.
.Dogs with nasal cancer do not usually live more than one year.
Second hand smoke is also dangerous to pet birds because their respiratory system is very sensitive to any type of pollutant in the air. They can develop pneumonia or lung cancer as well as damage to the eyes, skin, heart and fertility problems.
Pets becoming poisoned is another risk. Pets are very curious and they will pick up and eat cigars or cigarettes that are not stored properly, causing nicotine poisoning, which can be fatal.
Source oklahoma State University http://www2.dasnr.okstate.edu/
Published by Regina Sass
I have been writing, editing and doing advertising online for 10 years. I have been a gardener for more than 50 years. I am a member of the Society of Professional Journalists. View profile
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2 Comments
Post a CommentYes, that is one of my cats. Her name is Star and that is what she thinks she is. I know what you mean about the walls . My mother was a smoker and the wll paneling was white ash and the color turned disgusting. We also had two dogs who died from cancer.
Thank you. One of the reasons I quit smoking 13 years ago was when I removed the pictures from my walls to repaint, and found out just how disgusting the walls were compared to the areas behind the pictures. Before this report even came to light, common sense told me that if my walls looked that bad, my kitties were covered in that crap as well, and, yes, they clean themselves constantly, and swallow that poison daily. P.S. Is that your kitty in the picture? He/she is adorable!