Smoking Around Dogs & Other Pets

[Keira&Phoenix]

Im not a smoker but my partner is, he has always had to smoke outside but that is mainly because I don't want smoke smell lingering around the house, it tends to stick!

I am not overly fussed about people smoking around my dogs as its not something that happens constantly and they are not blowing it into the dogs face. I wouldn't have my dogs in a car with a smoker with all the windows up though.

I will point out that car fumes are much more deadly than cigarette smoke (for instance locked in a garage with a running car you would asphyxiate in a very short period of time, locked in with 10 smokers all night and you won't) and everyone here walks their dogs out by the side of the road where their dogs would be breathing in car fumes. Not trying to be smart just wanted to point it out.

Also my Dad has smoked for 50 odd years, he is the healthiest person I know, rarely sick (even when everyone else is) and still works in an extremely physical job, but he is on a great diet and has been extremely strict about it for the past 10 years.

[Dory the Doted One]

I clicked 'other' for whether it bothered me or not.

I've never smoked and I find it highly irritating to my nose and breathing when people do smoke around me. Not

to mention smelling like an ashtray for the rest of the day...blerch. I figure if they are smoking near my pets, then

they are probably smoking around me. Therefore, it bothers me.

Now if I'm in their home. That's a different story. It's THEIR home. If I don't like it, I can change rooms, go outside

or choose not to visit.

[Jodie Elijah]

As a smoker i don't smoke around my son or our cat! If we're all outside i tend to go around the corner so that i'm not near them.

[OSoSwift]

I hate it when I am walking along the street and all of a sudden myself and children cop a lung full of smoke. Just revolting.

Cigarette smoke makes me cough and wheeze, apart from the fact it just stinks!

I don't walk my dogs near roads so my pets do not suffer from exhaust fume inhalation and I can't stand the smell of it or fuel as it gives me an instant headache, so if there is a car running in a garage I am out of there.

[freundhund]

Possibly in the late 1970's to early 1980's when you could still smoke on public transport and in offices. Is what the doctors have put it down to, due to the position of the cancer.

[Jed]

I will point out that car fumes are much more deadly than cigarette smoke (for instance locked in a garage with a running car you would asphyxiate in a very short period of time, locked in with 10 smokers all night and you won't) and everyone here walks their dogs out by the side of the road where their dogs would be breathing in car fumes. Not trying to be smart just wanted to point it out.

Fumes from unleaded petrol are carcinogenic. There are plenty of links, if anyone would like to check.

[Nekhbet]

I'll smoke in the car but only if the windows down on my side and it all goes out there. Funnily enough I smoke but I cant stand second hand smoke, work that out.

Mum smokes inside, I think its the cause of her pomeranians cough. Makes me dehydrated just sitting in there let alone a toy dog. She's finally smoking outside now he had to go to the vet and found his heart murmur has gone from a 1 to a 3

Edited March 2, 2011 by Nekhbet

[jacqui835]

My parents both smoked, and our dogs lived well into their teens without any problems. We had birds too, which all seemed to fall off the perch at some ancient age. My sister also smokes, and her rottweilers lived to 15 and 16.

I don't believe there is any evidence that smoking damages pets in any way.

If you don't wont your dog to smell smokey, leave him at home when visiting smokers.

That's like saying some people who smoke live to be over 90 etc (though the number of those who are under 70 years of age and die from smoking-related illnesses actually exceeds the total number of deaths brought about by AIDS, breast cancer, drug addiction, and traffic accidents. Smoking causes 9 out of 10 cases of lung cancer. It is also a proven risk factor for cancer of the kidneys, cervix, bladder, throat, esophagus, mouth, stomach, pancreas, and certain types of leukemia. In other words, smoking is also the biggest and most avoidable risk factor for cancer.

Fact is, smoke and the chemicals in cigarettes are bad for humans, other mammals (most of the studies were conducted on rats) and probably every oxygen breathing life-form. Does this mean that they will all react in the same way? Of course not, because they're all different to begin with. Why does one person/animal live longer than another? Smoking is not the only factor that affects longevity, but both smoking and second hand smoking have been conclusively shown to be harmful.

I believe it should be personal choice whether to smoke or not, just as I believe people should be allowed to have control over their own lives and kill themselves if they want to. But, that said, I do take issue with habits that affect others, it's not fair to deny them their right to the same choices. Cigarettes contain

* Nicotine: a deadly poison

* Arsenic: used in rat poison

* Methane: a component of rocket fuel

* Ammonia: found in floor cleaner

* Cadmium: used in batteries

* Carbon Monoxide: part of car exhaust

* Formaldehyde: used to preserve body tissue

* Butane: lighter fluid

* Hydrogen Cyanide: the poison used in gas chambers

These are all harmful to humans and other mammals - I can't say for sure about the birds, but I would argue that as they are physiologically quite similar in many ways to mammals, well, it probably wasn't great for them either. Smoking is your choice, but at least be informed.

Re the car fumes points. Car fumes are more deadly because they pump out more carbon monoxide which can quickly bind to your red blood cells and hence prevent them from transporting oxygen around your body, resulting in death. If you exposed yourself to that much carbon monoxide from cigarettes, you would experience the same result, however, the carbon monoxide from one cigarette is not enough to saturate the red blood cells in a human. Any source of 'smoke', burning etc contains carbon monoxide - it's the same thing that most people die from in fires. Car fumes consist for the most part of carbon monoxide, nitrogen (fine) and water vapour (also fine). Your body continually produces new blood cells and the kidneys remove the ones that have become clogged with CO - long term this has minimal effects so long as the doses are controlled (ie you don't deprive major organs of oxygen).

So to recap, breathe in too much smoke from any source, you'll die.

Cigarettes contain 'smoke' Carbon Monoxide (CO) as well as many additional harmful substances.

[Red Fox]

Cigarettes contain

* Nicotine: a deadly poison

* Arsenic: used in rat poison

* Methane: a component of rocket fuel

* Ammonia: found in floor cleaner

* Cadmium: used in batteries

* Carbon Monoxide: part of car exhaust

* Formaldehyde: used to preserve body tissue

* Butane: lighter fluid

* Hydrogen Cyanide: the poison used in gas chambers

OT but why are there so many chemicals in cigarettes

[Remarkabull]

Cigarettes contain

* Nicotine: a deadly poison

* Arsenic: used in rat poison

* Methane: a component of rocket fuel

* Ammonia: found in floor cleaner

* Cadmium: used in batteries

* Carbon Monoxide: part of car exhaust

* Formaldehyde: used to preserve body tissue

* Butane: lighter fluid

* Hydrogen Cyanide: the poison used in gas chambers

OT but why are there so many chemicals in cigarettes

And why on earth would any sane person willingly put it in their body?

[Jed]

I think it is too glib and easy to blame cigarette smoke for cancers ... there are many other causes, and there is little explanation for some cancer deaths. I am not saying fags are never to blame, but there are other causes too, and we should be aware of them.

Until about 20 years ago, I had never heard of a dog dying from cancer. My vet said that was because old dogs tended to get cancer, and

"in those days" dogs died before they were old enough to get cancer - and - diagnostic techniques are better now.

I agree with that, but I think industrial pollution, and "modern life" is the cause. More people smoked 20 years ago+ too. And I remember a lo of dogs living to be old, and popping off from "old age" in their teens.

I think industrial pollution is a huge problem, and the carcinogenic effect of lead free fuel is ignored.

Fancy sitting at a footpath cafe eating and drinking with all the car fumes blowing all over you.

"Would you like a tumor with that?"

jacqui835 I kew a lot of people who died of cancer of one sort or another, and none of them smoked. Lost a friend last week, he was diagnosed with untreatable lung cancer in January. A friend's mother died last July from lung cancer. They are part of a very long list.

Although I don't have a problem with smoking = cancer, I do have a problem with people who would never have been exposed to much cigarette smoke dying of cancer which was "smoking related".

I lived in a small town which was a major cancer capital. Hardly anyone smoked. I have never lived anywhere where so few people smoked, but the use of fertilizers, weed sprays, insecticides was very common, including frequent aerial bombardment of crops.

Nekhbet

Mum smokes inside, I think its the cause of her pomeranians cough. Makes me dehydrated just sitting in there let alone a toy dog. She's finally smoking outside now he had to go to the vet and found his heart murmur has gone from a 1 to a 3

What does the vet think caused the murmur to escalate?

[Quickasyoucan]

Slightly off topic but on the topic of lung cancer or more specifically mesothelioma (the asbestos related one), my doctor told me her dog died of meso, I said to her I often wondered about dogs and fibro houses, or dogs on building sites for that matter (given that asbestos is dangerous when disturbed) and dogs do a lot of sniffing around. She said, oh my house is fibro and the dog used to sleep underneath.

Have often wondered about whether many dogs have been affected by asbestos exposure.

In terms of smoking and mesothelioma, statistically there is a link between those who have been exposed to asbestos in a work environment AND smoke in terms of their increased likelihood of developing mesothelioma compared to non-smokers. Don't know what the medical reason behind it is though.

I am allergic to cigarette smoke and my boy won't have a bar of people who stink of cigarette smoke wanting to interact with him, he loves smelly drunk derros but he can't stand smokers

[jacqui835]

I think it is too glib and easy to blame cigarette smoke for cancers ... there are many other causes, and there is little explanation for some cancer deaths. I am not saying fags are never to blame, but there are other causes too, and we should be aware of them.

Until about 20 years ago, I had never heard of a dog dying from cancer. My vet said that was because old dogs tended to get cancer, and

"in those days" dogs died before they were old enough to get cancer - and - diagnostic techniques are better now.

I agree with that, but I think industrial pollution, and "modern life" is the cause. More people smoked 20 years ago+ too. And I remember a lo of dogs living to be old, and popping off from "old age" in their teens.

jacqui835 I kew a lot of people who died of cancer of one sort or another, and none of them smoked. Lost a friend last week, he was diagnosed with untreatable lung cancer in January. A friend's mother died last July from lung cancer. They are part of a very long list.

Although I don't have a problem with smoking = cancer, I do have a problem with people who would never have been exposed to much cigarette smoke dying of cancer which was "smoking related".

I lived in a small town which was a major cancer capital. Hardly anyone smoked. I have never lived anywhere where so few people smoked, but the use of fertilizers, weed sprays, insecticides was very common, including frequent aerial bombardment of crops.

My father died from cancer when he was 45 years old. Never smoked a cigarette in his life. My mother smoked from when she was maybe 16 until about 35, she also drinks well beyond the recommended daily limit and generally has a pretty unhealthy lifestyle, but she's an ox. She also grew up in a small farming town and was regularly exposed to all kinds of freaky deaky chemicals as a child and laughs at the precautions people take today. Wait, her father drinks alcohol at breakfast and has been smoking for over 60 years and he too is going strong! Well this must mean that smoking and drinking are good for you right? Or maybe it was the farm chemicals?

Just because you know of one, two or even several people who had different experiences, this does not change the fact that cigarettes contain harmful chemicals that aren't good for you and many of these chemicals cause cancers under both lab and real world settings. None of our personal observations are of statistical significance.

Now does that mean that if you smoke, you will get cancer, or if you don't smoke that you won't? No, because you're unique and other factors come into play. Does this mean though that smoking is bad for you? Yes, it's virtually impossible to predict exactly how you as an individual (or your pets) will be affected by smoking, but we can safely say that you won't be better for it.

Second hand smoke from cigarettes is damn nasty too. These people you know of may only have been exposed to small amounts that don't seem to have affected anyone else negatively, but perhaps for them, it was too much. One day we'll probably know a lot more about this sort of stuff, and that might be a good thing or it might not...

As to why would someone would want to smoke in the first place. Well, smoking makes people feel good, it's addictive and if your friends do something it can be hard to say no. It's kind of like when I go skiing and go off the main runs and ski really fast. Sure it's dangerous, if I crashed I'd probably die and not be found for ages. But it's my life, I think it's worth it and I firmly believe that people should be allowed to do what they like with their lives so long as it doesn't hurt anyone else. But you should be informed.

[fuzzy82]

It bothers me. I forbid smoking in my house, if we have friends over they go out the front to smoke, not allowed in the house or in the backyard. When questioned I tell them it's like smoking in the same room as a baby, and then they don't mind, they realise that it's not good for people and animals around them.

If I'm somewhere else with people who smoke, I stay as far away from them as possible. Hate the smell.

[prplhydra]

I think it is disgusting

More importantly, I have owned two male basenjis who both thought it was disgusting. We have a non-smoking household, but when relatives came to stay they would smoke out in the backyard. My now deceased first Basenji boy would go up to the smoker, dig at their arm holding the cigarette and 'baroo' loudly until they put it out!

My present boy paws the air in front of the smoker to implore them to cease and desist.

So now we have a blanket no-smoking policy indoors and outdoors at our place.

[LizT]

I'll smoke in the car but only if the windows down on my side and it all goes out there. Funnily enough I smoke but I cant stand second hand smoke, work that out.

Mum smokes inside, I think its the cause of her pomeranians cough. Makes me dehydrated just sitting in there let alone a toy dog. She's finally smoking outside now he had to go to the vet and found his heart murmur has gone from a 1 to a 3

Have you run that by your passengers????

Dad used to do that and as kids in the back seat in the 1960's we always got a faceful!

[BMAK]

If cigs contain all those horrible chemicals, i wouldn't want it anywhere near my dogs, if people smoke in the public away from main enterances near shopping areas i move my dogs and myself away as it is public (if i was asmatic etc i would probably see myselof saying something), if it is family i tell them to move!!

if it is bad for us, it has to be bad for them (dogs) there lives are short enough with out us taking years off by second hand smoke, bad foods not mention alot of other bad things in this world.

I want my dogs to be as healthy as they possibly can.

As for people smoking at shows/trials if it away from everybody in the open go for your life your only harming yourself, if it is near the main event bugger off, not everyone wants your smoke floating by with the wind.

[Jumabaar]

I dislike it for more reasons than just the smoke. I have nearly had a dog burnt when someone was holding a cigarette and the dog thought it was a treat and went to take it.

I also dislike seeing people with a cigarette in one hand and a dog going crazy in the other (at agility or flyball). I think its a recipe for disaster. I might be influenced by the fact that I walked into a cigarette when I was about 5yrs old and got burnt!!!

[Rainy]

I am a smoker (hopfully not for long) and i refuse to smoke in the house so i go out the back, every now and then diesel will sit on a chair about a meter away but most of the time he goes out in the yard to lay down in the sun or if its raining he dosnt come outside at all. I dont smoke in the car with the kids or diesel, i rarely smoke in the car unless im on a long trip on my own.

Honestly iv never realy thought about it because its habbit not to smoke around the kids or people who dont smoke anyway

[Rusky]

My wonderful husband at the age of 57 who has never smoked and his parents are non- smokers, with our being a non- smoking house. Has just had HALF his right lung removed due to Lung Cancer from secondary smokers. Thankfully from being diagnosed to having the lungpartially removed was 2 1/2 weeks!!!! His prognois is good.

Did his doctors tell him it was caused by secondhand smoke?

no they would not have told him that and I don't know either of them.

I am happy he has a good prognosis.