Is second hand smoke harmfull to a Toy Doy Breed if he/she is exposed to it most of time?

Question

I have a 1 year old PomChi, and he is always being exposed to 2nd hand smoke. Most of my family smokes, and there is always clouds of smoke in our house. Will this be harmfull to my dog?

I would guess it would be harmfull ( common sense) But how and where would it effect my dogs health?

Answer 1

I'm not a vet, but I would assume that it would effect a dog, just like it would a human. But all dogs are different, and some would be effected more than others. I know smoke it bad for rodents (rats, gerbils, hamsters, etc) and they get sinus infections easier when exposed to smoke and this can be deadly in rodents. I do not believe this can be deadly in dogs, and dogs with shorter snouts (pugs, bull dogs, pekingese, etc) are more susceptible to infections than others. I would just assume that your dog may have more sinus trouble that other dogs similar to her breed, and the possibility of cancer is there for you and your dog as well. I would encourage your family to try smoking outside, and everyone will be healthier because if it.

Here's what I found on the web:
Just as with people, secondhand smoke can prove harmful to your dog. Certain dogs, including long-nosed dogs, have an increased risk of acquiring health problems from exposure to secondhand smoke. Not every dog exposed to secondhand smoke will develop health problems, but it is clear that they do have an increased chance of developing cancer, asthma, lung infections, respiratory problems, and other conditions. The best approach is a preventative one, thus limit your dog's exposure to secondhand smoke.

and...


SECOND HAND SMOKE AFFECTS PETS, TOO

By Kim Marie Labak

Second-hand smoke, also known as environmental tobacco smoke or ETS, is clearly associated with cancer, respiratory and cardiovascular disease in humans. Several studies have shown that up to 20 different carcinogens contained in tobacco smoke can be inhaled by non-smoking bystanders.

Dr. Timothy Fan, veterinary oncologist at the University of Illinois Veterinary Teaching Hospital in Urbana, explains that although associations between ETS and diseases in animals have not been as extensively researched, a handful of studies show a correlation between ETS and certain forms of cancer in pets.

A Tufts School of Veterinary Medicine study found a strong correlation between ETS and an oral cancer, squamous cell carcinoma, in cats. Cats living with smokers had higher incidence of this type of cancer. Cats living with more than one smoker and cats exposed to ETS for longer than five years have an even higher incidence of this cancer.

Why mouth cancer? Since cats groom themselves quite diligently, cats in smoking households can lick up carcinogens that have been deposited on their fur. Daily grooming over a long period of time can expose the delicate skin in the mouth to hazardous amounts of carcinogens.

The University of Massachusetts in Amherst also found that cats exposed to ETS have a slightly elevated risk of developing malignant lymphoma, or cancer of the lymph nodes. Since the lymph nodes filter the blood, inhaled or ingested carcinogens can build up in these structures.

In dogs, ETS is significantly associated with nasal sinus cancer and weakly associated with lung cancer. A study at Colorado State found a higher incidence of nasal cavity tumors in dogs exposed to ETS than in dogs that live in non-smoking households. This higher incidence was specifically found amongst long-nosed breed dogs such as Collies, and there was no significant increase in nasal tumors amongst short- to medium-nosed dogs exposed to ETS.

Dr. Fan explains that longer-nosed dogs may have a higher incidence of ETS-induced tumors for two reasons. "Smokers inhale smoke through their mouths, and it ends up depositing in the lungs. Bystanders, on the other hand, usually inhale ETS through the nose." Long-nosed dogs' nasal passages have a greater surface area on which carcinogens may be deposited before reaching the lungs.

"In addition," says Dr. Fan, "since a longer nose has nasal passages with a greater number of cells, there is a greater chance that one of these cells can be mutated by carcinogens into a cancer cell."

Colorado State also found that although short- to medium-nosed dogs exposed to ETS don't have a greater incidence of nasal tumors than those unexposed, they do have a slightly higher incidence of lung cancer, possibly because their shorter nasal passages are less effective at filtering carcinogens out of inhaled air before it reaches the lungs.

Unlike humans, who can develop bladder cancer as a result of ETS exposure, dogs and cats generally don't run a higher risk of bladder cancer when exposed.

As the human-animal bond becomes stronger, we share more of our lives, our leisure time and our living space with our companion animals, and they become exposed to the same environmental hazards that we do. Many of our habits, including smoking, can affect our pets as they would affect any other member of our household.

Designating a smoking area outside or in a physically separate room of the house may be on way to minimize ETS exposure for pets and other non-smoking family members.

For more information about environmental tobacco smoke and your pet, consult your veterinarian.

Answer 2

You would be right. It can defiinitely be harmful. It would affect primarily the respiratory system, so your dog could develop a chronic cough related to the exposure. Because it is a tiny breed, the dog is predisposed to a condition called collapsing trachea which could be aggravated by the smoke if it is present. You would see signs such as coughing and trouble breathing, especially when stressed or excited. There is also the long term risk of lung cancer, which you probably know is a risk to humans. Dogs can get lung cancer also. I would recommend treating the dog like a small child or an infant and consider allowing smoking only outside or in a designated room away from the dog.

Answer 3

When I shadowed with a vet for several months back in the fall, a lady brought in a small dog with a terrible rattling cough. Both the woman and the dog reeked of smoke. The dog's lungs looked terrible on the x-ray and it wasn't probably more than 8-10 years old. She burst into tears when the vet told her she was literally killing her own dog with the habit. :-( I would urge you to have your family members that smoke do so outside for everyone's health if they don't want to quit.

Answer 4

Very, and it is especially dangerous for a toy breed and a dog with a short, pushed-in nose. Besides causing severe respiratory diseases, second-hand smoke is likely to cause cancer in your pet. The effect of second-hand smoke if even stronger for dogs than for humans because of their size.

Answer 5

Yes. Second hand smoke is harmful to dogs. We have a few dogs come in that have trouble breathing and develop horrible coughs, often. The second those clients come in, the place smells like it's burning down!

Those poor dogs...the doctors tell them that the smoke is harmful, but they either don't believe it or they just don't care.

Answer 6

Yes, second hand smoke is harmful to dogs just like it is to people. It will most likely affect his lungs. It can cause breathing problems like asthma. I don't know if dogs get lung cancer like people do, but they could probably get lung infections from the damage the smoke deposits could leave in their lungs.

Answer 7

I 'm a smoker, and I have #5 Chihuahuas.Second hand smoke is just as harmful to dogs, as it would be to humans that don't smoke. Whenever I want to have a cigarette, I alway's smoke outside.

Answer 8

It would be just like a little kid, they would get the nicotien and get adicted to cigs. Smaller dogs have a more chance of having lung cancer due to 2nd hand smoke rather than bigger dogs. Just like babies.

Answer 9

Yes, it is harmful to pets- just as it is to people. Dogs can contract allergies and lung problems from the smoke.

Answer 10

it's harmful in the same way that its harmful to humans......toy breeds are more seseptable to it.....not to mention most don't like it.....i had a pomchi too i and my ex both smoke (we did it out side cause of a child in the home) mine wouldn't come near me while i was smoking and when we visited my father (he smokes in his house A LOT) she would sneaze the whole time we were at his house.......

Answer 11

Yes