Smoking around your dog

This is something I meant to post last week, but didn't get around to it. Several times recently, I've noticed people smoking around their dogs. These same people often complain that their dog suffers from allergies, particularly around the paw areas; this can be caused by an allergy to smoke.

I know a lot of people smoke and it's their decision, but they should be aware that doing it around dogs is potentially very harmful. The reason for this is that the smoke, inhaled by the dog, causes inflammation of the sensitive linings of the airways. This, in turn, may lead to chronic bronchitis, with the build up of mucous causing persistent coughing. Consider your lungs and compare them to the lungs of a dog; the size difference is quite substantial. Dogs' lungs are smaller than ours, so it would take less second-hand smoke to do damage to them than it would for a human. You don't necessarily have to smoke directly in front of your dog for damage to be caused - even the strong smell of smoke (particularly for their sensitive noses) can irritate their nasal passages and cause sneezing and wheezing.

There's also the worrying subject of cancer. It can and does affect dogs, as well as humans. Various studies have been conducted on the dangers of smoking around dogs. Results from several of them have suggested that dogs whose owners smoke near them have over a 50% greater chance of developing cancer in the respiratory system than dogs who live in a smoke-free environment. This percentage increases with dolichocephalic dogs, but that doesn't change the risk presented to dogs with shorter skulls (such as staffies).

So please, don't smoke around your dogs.

Good post, I think a dog is the same as a child and wouldn't smoke around a kid, I do smoke but its outside for me

I knew a of a Budgie who died of passive smoking.  

Very informative Eleanor, I go outside also.  

Great post Eleanor, I'm a non smoker but when I did I always smoked outside because of OH & kids, pooches are like children they can't defend themselves from smoke so we have to, hats of to those who don't smoke by their pooches

poor xena when i was an smoker sitting in cars just about all day  

Great post, non smoker here

Great post, ex-smoker here but i did used to smoke around lexi when she was a pup (but always at the window, but i know it always blows back in) but i would never do it now!

Very informative, well done Eleanor. Non-smoker here too

Thanks all

Good info  

I'm a non-smoker   for nearly two weeks now!! But I didn't smoke in the house or on walks with Daisy.

we always go outside when we smoke,great information Eleanor  

dont start again saz if you gone 2 weeks without one that it you have pack up

Yeah I'm really gonna try, have an electric cig to help!

Great info there Eleanor!
Smoker here too, but never inside, always out, and not around Rock either!