ASPCA warns of second-hand smoke danger for pets

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals has partnered with a smoking cessation society in the hope of highlighting the dangers of second-hand smoke to pets.

Vets, backed by the American Legacy Foundation, are redoubling efforts to spread the message that smoking is not only bad for smokers themselves, but can also be disastrous for the health of their pets.

According to The Star Press, studies have indicated that the second-hand smoke of cigarettes can cause malignant lymphoma in cats and lung and nasal cancer in dogs. This means that pet owners who smoke could be endangering their pets and at the risk of running up large vet bills, and compromising their pet insurance policies as well as damaging their own health.

Speaking of the links between second-hand smoke and cancer development in pets, Steven Hansen of the ASPCA's Animal Poison Control Center said: "The evidence is striking.

"Most veterinarians believe pretty strongly second-hand smoke presents a strong danger to dogs and cats with pre-existing respiratory problems.

"And extrapolating, why would you expose a healthy animal?"

The ASPCA and the American Legacy Foundation hope that the evidence will help encourage pet owners to give up smoking to safeguard the wellbeing of their pets.

A recent survey found that 48 per cent of adult pet owners in America smoke or live with smokers, and 37 per cent said that clear evidence that smoking is harmful to pets would motivate them to give up the habit, reported The Star Press.

Smoking has long been recognised as a risk to the health of humans and the habit can drive up the cost of health insurance Whether this evidence could have a similar effect on pet insurance cover in the long term is up for debate.

Tue, 15 Jun 2010 04:25:00 GMT