It is well-known, that smoking is harmful for our health and health of the people around. But do you know how harmful it is for our pets?

Breathing in of the air with smoke is called passive smoking. While passive smoking the poisoned air comes in from two sources: air with elements of smoking cigarette and air breathed out by the smoking person. Tobacco smoke contains more than 4000 chemical elements including carbon monoxide, formaldehyde, and arsenic, as well as nicotine, tar and carcinogens - substances that cause cancer.

Our pets appear passive smokers not only because they breathe in smoke, but also lick toxic substances settled at their fur from the smoked air. Each of these substances can increase the risk of cancer. Moreover, there is a danger, that a pet can by accidence eat items containing nicotine - cigarette or a its end if finds it at home or walking outside, in the street or beside the road. Nicotine is often used as insecticide as well!

Here we will review dangerous results of passive smoking for dogs and also methods to resolve them and to protect health of your pets.

Dogs and passive smoking

Dogs with long snout like Collie, for instance, is 2.5 times more subject to cancer of nose area than the same dog breeds held by no-smokers. It happens because these dogs have large nose area where the poisoning elements from tobacco smoke may settle down. Dogs infected with cancer of nose area usually do not leave even a year.

Dogs with short snout like pugs and bulldogs are not able to filter carcinogens in the air their breathe in. That's why they appear under the same influence as smokers. As a result they have a high risk of lungs cancer. As the researches prove, they are 1.6 times more subject to lungs cancer than dogs at non-smoking families.

Dogs who are constantly under the influence of tobacco smoke more subject to lungs and eyes diseases. Passive smoking is the reason for heavy breath, cough and hyperventilation. It may cause weakness and hang-up.

Accidental swallowing of objects containing nicotine

One more danger is accidental swallowing of objects containing nicotine: cigarettes, nicotine gums, tobacco etc. The most dangerous it may be for dogs and puppies who like to chew toys. Such a toy for them may become a dropped outside cigarette or a half-empty box of chewing tobacco.

Sharp tobacco taste fast averts a dog from the object it contains. But even a small dose of nicotine may lead to a very serious and dangerous results threatening even with death. Toxic dose of nicotine for dog is 20-100 mg. Depending on the type and trade mark, a cigarette may contain 15-30 mg of nicotine. Thus, even one cigarette may lead to serious poisoning!

Nicotine patch contains to 114 mg of nicotine. A cigarette end may contain more 25% of nicotine, that is about 4-8 mg. That's why your dog may be poisoned with only 3 swallowed cigarette ends.

How to protect our pets from passive smoking?

The best means for pet protection of passive smoking is to give up smoking. If you have had an idea to do this may be this is the moment you should do this for the sake of yours and the health of your pets.

If you are not ready to give up smoking, do not smoke at home. Smoking poisoning your home and car for a long time. That's why it is better not to smoke at the places where your pets and relatives come. As an alternative decision, you may prepare a separate room for smoking, preventing your dear people and pets from passive smoking.

Regular cleaning and washing eliminates the resting carcinogens as well. Other way it will rest on the fur of your dog and cat.

Unfortunately, most of the resting toxic elements tobacco smoke leaves are gas. In the order to remove them you need to air the rooms for hours. A good ventilation and air filters help to resolve the problem. But avoid ionizers - they cause irritation of human and animal breath channels.

Remember, that used cigarettes, tobacco, chewing gum, patch still contains rests of nicotine. That's why keep it away from your pets. It will reduce the risk that your dog swallows it.

When you go to walk your dog look after it not to pick up strange things from the ground. Chewed tobacco and gum may attract dogs as it contains flavor and sugar that masks bitter taste of tobacco.

Consult your veterinarian and may be he will recommend some antioxidants that reduce the risk of intoxication. Smoking dog owners should also remember that it is better to go to the vet not once a year, but each 4-5 months.�