Second-Hand Smoke

Study Finds Link Between Pet’s Health Problems and Owner’s Smoking Habits

Quitting smoking is difficult, but researchers have found one more reason to add to your list: it could be making your cat or dog sick.

Research conducted at Tufts University and the University of Massachusetts showed a link between cats diagnosed with lymph node cancer and contact with second-hand smoke, revealing that cats exposed to secondhand smoke developed lymphoma twice as often as cats in smoke-free homes.

The probably link revealed by the study is likely the way cats groom themselves – because cats groom themselves often, they lick the carcinogens that have been deposited on their fur, causing problems like oral cancer.

Dr. Carolynn Mac Allister, a veterinarian at Oklahoma State University, said cat health is compromised because the grooming “exposes the mucous membrane of their mouth to the cancer-causing carcinogens,” ScienceDaily.com reported.

Additionally, studies have shown that dogs exposed to smoke also had a higher chance of getting cancer. Specifically, dogs with long noses often develop nasal cancer as a result of being exposed to secondhand smoke. Short-nosed and medium dogs often develop lung cancer as a result of being exposed to secondhand smoke.

If quitting isn’t quite in the cards for you today but you would like to do what you can to protect your pets from secondhand smoke, consider smoking outside, or limiting smoking to a designated area of the house to which your pets are not allowed.