The harm caused by second-hand smoke to the human body is a common knowledge among women and children. Likewise, for pets, secondhand smoke can be life-threatening. As an owner, it is extremely important to understand the harm of secondhand smoke to pets and how to prevent pets from being exposed to secondhand smoke.

What is secondhand smoke?

Secondhand smoke is a common term for passive smoking, which is the The act of puffing smoke by other smokers, also known as forced smoking or indirect smoking. Generally speaking, when passive smoking is more than 15 minutes, the phenomenon of second-hand smoke can be considered to be established.

Secondhand smoke is actually composed of two types of smoke, one is the smoke exhaled by the smoker, called mainstream smoke; the other is the smoke produced by the burning of cigarettes, called diversion smoke. No matter what kind of smoke a non-smoker inhales, it is considered second-hand smoke, and it is impossible for most people to completely avoid exposure to cigarette smoke, so second-hand smoke is very common.

Some studies have pointed out that second-hand smoke contains more than 4,000 harmful chemicals and dozens of carcinogens such as tar, amonia, nicotine, suspended particulates, PM2.5, and polonium-210.

What are the dangers of secondhand smoke to pets?

1. Secondhand smoke can cause dogs respiratory diseases. Long-term inhalation will make dogs allergic, and in severe cases, they will suffer from nose cancer and lung cancer.

2. Dogs living in smoking households for a long time have a 60% increased risk of developing lung cancer. If you have a short-nosed dog at home, the risk of the disease is even higher, about twice as high as that of a long-nosed dog.

3. Contrary to lung cancer, dogs with long noses are more likely to suffer from nose cancer than dogs with short noses.

4. Cats who inhale secondhand smoke for a long time are prone to develop lymphoma and oral cancer. Also, there is a higher chance of developing squamous cell carcinoma in the oral area.

5. Cats are more susceptible to second-hand smoke than dogs, not only because of the smell of second-hand smoke in the air, but also because they have the habit of licking their hair, which will make them accumulate on their hair directly of tobacco carcinogens licked into the mouth. Double harm, making cats susceptible to lymphoma.

6. The respiratory system of birds is very sensitive to any pollutants in the air. Therefore, under the harm of secondhand smoke, they are more likely to suffer from eye diseases, skin diseases and lung diseases.

A pet will be poisoned by swallowing tobacco, causing symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, drooling, diarrhea, convulsions, abnormal pulse and rapid heartbeat. In severe cases, breathing difficulties or even death may occur.

Therefore, pet owners who have the habit of smoking must place their cigarettes properly, and at the same time clean the ashtray frequently to prevent pets from accidentally eating tobacco or ash. In addition, exercise is a magic weapon for health. Taking pets to do some exercise outdoors can not only enhance the relationship with pets, but also improve the immunity of pets.