Can second hand smoke harm animals?

Question

Can second hand cigarette smoke cause lung or throat cancer in cats and dogs or other house pets? Are we endangering the lives of our pets by letting people smoke around them?

Answer 1

It makes sense that they would be in danger of the same illnesses as us with regards to smoking.  They have lungs too, just like ours.

Answer 2

My husband was smoking in the house and I noticed my boy Willie was getting teary eyed all the time. Turns out he has allergies and the smoke was really getting to him. Now hubby smokes outside, we have an air purifier, and Willie is doing fine.

Answer 3

it is most definately harmful to pets. It can cause the same damage as it does to humans. Dont let anyone smoke around them!

Answer 4

YES! Any smoking around anyone will harm them too! If your smoking near your pet, there is a chance that they will swallow some of the nicotine and bad stuff that you put off. It is exactly the same with humans.

Answer 5

Studies haven't been able to show an increase in throat or lung cancer in indoor cats living in smokng households. However, those studies did show some evidence for increased risks of lymphoma in those cats.

So while there does seem to be an increased risk of cancer (enough evidence to say 'most probably' but not 'definitely'), it's not throat or lung cancer.

Why would that be? I'm not sure, but I think it may be because of the cats l*****g smoke particles off their fur and swallowing it, so tonsil tissue would be exposed to the most smoke, and then lymphoma develops.

There is no study like this in dogs that I'm aware of.  

Answer 6

Yes, it can harm animals.  They have lungs and breathe like us dont they.  The only thing is their lungs are wayyyyyyy smaller than ours so its alot more dangerous to them than it is to us.  I hope they stop doing that.  =(

Answer 7

Of course it can cause harm to animals.  It does the same thing to humans.