Monday, December 7, 2009

Second Hand Smoke & Pets


I want to share some insight I've learned as a pet groomer. I can always tell if the dog or cat I'm clipping and bathing has an owner that smokes - I can smell it on the animal! (No, this cutie was smoke-free!)

I found an article at http://www.smokefreesociety.org/NewsClip/Pets-1.html
that says: "
A study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology found that dogs in smoking households had a 60 percent greater risk of lung cancer; a different study published in the same journal showed that long-nosed dogs, such as collies or greyhounds, were twice as likely to develop nasal cancer if they lived with smokers.

And in yet another study, vets from Tufts University found that cats whose owners smoked were three times as likely to develop lymphoma, the most common feline cancer."

My husband smoked for 50 years and finally used the nicotine patch from his VA doctor to quit. All because his granddaughter asked him to please stop smoking for his health (her father-in-law developed cancer and died from his smoking habit)

So, if a smoker who owns pets needs a GOOD reason to quit, think of your beloved dog or cat!

Enough said.