Smoking Causes Dog Cough

Smoking has complications. Everyone knows it at this point. Inanimate objects like your doorknob cannot speak up and are not affected; this is not the case with your companions and pets. The fact that smoking is injurious to health remains unchallenged, and that it affects your near and dear ones just as much as it may affect you. Beware pet lovers, for smoking will affect your pets in a lot more adverse ways, primarily just because they are so small. Pets are subjected to passive smoking by pet owners where in they are exposed to constant inhalation of smoke. The ill health effects caused are more severe than in humans like increased risk of a cat or dog coughing and gagging, and of course animal cancer. Chain smoking can also equal pet abuse without being aware of it.

According to a 1998 study, Colorado State University discovered that dogs of smokers are 1.6 times more likely to be diagnosed with cancer than those dogs in a non-smoking environment. Those cats that were exposed to second-hand smoke too were vulnerable to a condition called feline lymphoma. When people in vicinity smoke, the carcinogen in smoke get stuck in the cats’ fur and when a cat licks its own fur, the cancerous substance gets into their system. More than 75 percent of the cats diagnosed with lymphoma die within a year. In the case of dogs, short nosed dogs are more prone to lung cancer than the long nosed ones. This is because the passage of smoke for long nosed dogs is longer and hence most the malignant carcinogens are left behind in the nasal passage where as the snub nosed dogs bear the brunt in their lungs. Pet birds living in the vicinity of smokers, contract malicious infections of various organs like the eyes, heart, kidneys, skin, reproductive system and lungs.

Dr.Carolyn McAllister, a veterinarian with Oklahoma University, accentuated the fact that smokers left tobacco lying around the house that causes nicotine poisoning in pets and could not stress more on the fact that quitting on smoking is the first big step to ensuring respiratory care and otherwise good health for your pet. To smoke or not to smoke is entirely your own decision but if you plan to continue smoking then at least ensure a separate smoking zone in your home and keep away your pets from the zone. Your life may not revolve around your companions, but their life revolves around you, so treat them accordingly.