No smoking in front of pets. Image Ref: http://www.theashtoninn.com/ashimgs/signsyes.png image:33452:0::0

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 126 million non-smoking Americans are being exposed to secondhand smoke on a daily basis in their homes, vehicles, workplaces and public places. This secondhand smoking has been proven to cause lung cancer and heart disease deaths among non smokers according to the California Environmental Protection Agency.

The pets are as much exposed to secondhand smoking as humans at home when their owners are smokers. Veterinarian Carolynn MacAllister of Oklahoma State University it is not surprising that secondhand smoking poses dangers to pets.

There have been a number of scientific papers recently that have reported the significant health threat secondhand smoke poses to pets," MacAllister said.

MacAllister said secondhand smoking has been associated with oral cancer and lymphoma in cats, lung and nasal cancers in dogs, and also causes lung cancer in birds.

A study done by the Tufts College of Veterinary Medicine showed the number of cats living with mouth cancer were higher at places where they lived with smokers than in a smoke free environment.

MacAllister believes it may because of cats grooming habits. They constantly lick themselves when grooming, since the cancer causing carcinogens accumulate on their fur, the cats end up consuming that and exposes them to mouth cancer.

Cats also have a high incidence of lymphoma if they live with smokers almost twice as much as those living in a smoke free environment. Lymphomas are deadly and it causes fatality in three out of four cats within 12 months of formation.

Dogs living in a smoking household are more prone to cancers of the nose and sinus area, especially the long nosed breed, their noses seem to have a greater surface area that is exposed to carcinogens and hence it accumulates more in the nose area. Dogs with nasal cancers die within a year. Short and medium nosed dogs have no problems with this type of cancer but they are more susceptible to lung cancer, more carcinogens reach the lungs with no place to settle in the nose regions.

Birds have the same problem as the short and medium nosed dogs are a high risk for getting lung cancer. They also get pneumonia because their respiratory systems are very sensitive to any type of air pollutant.

MacAllister advices pet owners either to smoke outside away from pets or stop smoking all together.

When kids and pets are in the homes, it is best not to smoke at all. Why cause harm to oneself and others that love them also.

Do you encounter these problems with your pets?