Can you quit smoking for your dog's health

My aunt was devastated when her German Shepherd dog and companion died of lung cancer.   She did not know what caused it.   Little did she know at that time that secondhand smoke was the cause of her dog’s many health problems.   The bad thing about it was, her dog appeared fine.  There was no early warning sign of cancer.   She only began to worry about her dog’s  wheezing, coughing and hyperventilating after a year when he lost so much weight.  She later found out that her dog don’t just inhale smoke.  Smoke particles are trapped in his coat and ingested when he grooms himself with his tongue.  A study published in American Journal of Epidemiology found that dogs in smoking households had a 60 percent greater risk of lung cancer.

Secondhand smoking affects not only non-smoking humans but pets as well.  Studies show, that secondhand smoke can cause cancer of the sinus of dogs.  In fact research show that “this cancer is twice as likely in dogs with long noses, such as Collies, Greyhounds and German Shepherds, probably because there is simply more tissue and cells exposed to cancer-causing particles called “carcinogens” as the smoke travels through their nose. Dogs with a short (Pugs) or medium nose are unfortunately not risk-free: in that study, they had a higher risk of lung cancer. Ironically, this may be because their shorter nose is less effective at filtering carcinogens before they reach their lungs. So ultimately, everybody dog breed is at risk, regardless of the length of their nose. Sounds like a lose-lose proposition for any dog breed… The Colorado researchers found toxins from cigarette smoke in dogs’ urine. This is confirmed by a 2008 study at the Tufts vet school in Massachusetts. ”

It took her a long time to come to terms that she partly caused her dog’s death.  It her even longer to adopt another puppy but this time she was cautious. Her vet advised her that the only prevention for lung cancer is to stop smoking around her puppy but since she can’t, she stored her cigarettes and tobacco products in a secured place, this includes cigarettes butts.  If her puppy eats it, it may cause nicotine poisoning and may threaten his life.  She now smokes outside the house and as far away from her puppy.  Her vet also adviced her to be vigilant of warning signs of lung cancer which includes bloody nasal discharge, chronic coughing and weight loss and to see him as soon as possible.