Smoking and Your Pets

by: Grant Carroll

Looking for a reason to quit smoking? The effects of smoking are widely known. It is a fact that smoking causes heart disease, strokes and contributes to a number of cancers. One in two lifetime smokers will die from their habit. Basically, smoking inevitably leads to death. It’s just that simple. What isn’t as widely known is that smoking can also harm your pets as well. In fact, people who smoke could be putting their pets as risk of getting cancer.

Unfortunately, your cat may be most at risk of the developing a preventable disease from your smoking habit. That can develop Feline Lymphoma and Oral Cancer from your second hand smoke. Since cats often groom themselves 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 causing Oral Cancer. In addition, the lymph nodes filter the blood, inhaled or ingested carcinogens can build up in these structures, causing Feline Lymphoma. This type of cancer kills three out of every four cats every year.

Man’s best friend is not out of harms way either. In dogs, second hand smoke may cause Nasal Sinus Cancer and in more serious cases Lung Cancer. A study at Colorado State found a higher incidence of nasal cavity tumors in dogs exposed to second hand smoke than in dogs that live in non-smoking households.

These days, pets mean more to some than children. They are extremely loyal and ask for nothing but love in return. Americans spent 34 billion dollars last year to pamper our most beloved pets, while ignoring an overwhelming preventable problem. If your health and the health of the others around you can not persuade you to quit the nasty habit maybe your helpless furry companion can.

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