Tobacco.org

Is secondhand smoke killing your cat?  

You probably wouldn't encourage a toddler to smoke, but if you subject your pet to secondhand smoke, you might as well be offering kitty a cigarette. "The correlation is similar to what is seen in children: Smaller lungs have less reserve and are more likely to be affected," says Laura Sullivan, DVM, of Cascade Hospital for Animals, in Grand Rapids, Mich.

Recent studies confirm Dr. Sullivan's assertion, warning that secondhand smoke may lead to deadly diseases in your cat. So if personal health risks haven't compelled you and your houseguests to quit smoking yet, there is a new incentive: the well-being of your cat.

Jump to full article »

ELIZABETH SMOOTS | Pets Also Suffer From Secondhand Smoke 

Recent research has reported that secondhand smoke is associated with mouth cancer and lymphoma in cats, lung and nasal cancer in dogs, and lung cancer in birds. And that's just the tip of the iceberg.

I'd like to delve deeper to examine the health threats secondhand smoke poses to pets.

Toxic Exposure

Dogs: Canines that live in smoking households are twice as likely to develop cancer. Long-nosed breeds such as retrievers or German shepherds tend to get nasal and sinus cancer. Toxins in tobacco smoke collect inside the elongated nasal passages of these dogs, where the chemicals slowly but steadily wreak their damaging effects. Dogs that develop the deadly cancers usually don't live for more than a year.

In contrast, short-nosed dogs like boxers or bulldogs tend to get lung cancer. The shorter nasal passages of these breeds make it easier for cancer-causing toxins in tobacco smoke to reach the lungs.

Smoke exposure may create other problems besides cancer. Dogs can develop allergic reactions to toxins that get in their airways or coat their fur. And tobacco-related symptoms such as scratching, biting, and chewing may masquerade as flea bites or food allergies.

Jump to full article »

Tobacco is Toxic for Toto Too  

The American Legacy Foundation® is challenging pet owners to quit smoking for their pets during the month of April, which kicks off Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Month. A growing body of research shows there are no safe levels of exposure to secondhand smoke—for humans or for animals. And one new study shows that nearly 30 percent of pet owners live with at least one smoker – a number far too high given the consequences of exposure to secondhand smoke (“SHS”).

“Secondhand smoke doesn’t just affect people,” said Dr. Cheryl G. Healton, DrPH, President and CEO of the American Legacy Foundation®, the national independent public health foundation dedicated to keeping young people from smoking and providing resources to smokers who want to quit. “While most Americans have been educated about the dangers of smoking to their own bodies, it is equally important that pet owners take action to protect their beloved domestic pets from the dangers of secondhand smoke.”

An estimated 50,000 Americans lose their lives to secondhand smoke annually and 4 million youth (16 percent) are exposed to secondhand smoke in their homes. A number of studies have indicated that animals, too, face health risks when exposed to the toxins in secondhand smoke, from respiratory problems, allergies and even nasal and lung cancer in dogs and lymphoma in cats. In addition, the ASPCA, one of the largest animal rights groups in the U.S., lists tobacco smoke as a toxin that is dangerous to pets. . . .

In order to better protect dogs, cats or other pets, the foundation and ASPCA recommend that smokers – who often consider their domestic pets a part of the family – “take it outside” when they are smoking. The foundation also provides resources and information to smokers who want to quit for their own health through a national campaign called EX®, including a Web site for smokers who are quitting just for their pets:

Jump to full article »

Students, animals learn effects of second-hand smoke on pets  

Pets exposed to secondhand smoke are more likely to develop various forms of cancer than animals that have not been exposed according to information from Hartshorn Health Center -- an idea that was communicated to CSU dog-owners at Wednesday's seventh annual Stomp, Romp and Wag event.

"We try to reach college students through their pets because they don't have kids," said Megan Vernetti, a graduate student in charge of Health Promotions at Hartshorn.

As students and their dogs traversed the North Lawn of the Hartshorn Health Center, hitting up doggie ice cream booths and relaxing with dog massages and nail trimmings, they learned that pets suffer even when not exposed to smoke directly.

Even if a person smokes outside away from their pets, cigarette residue left on a person's fingers can be transferred to dogs and cats through petting or licking, Vernetti said.

Cigarette residue can also transfer to birds, causing them to pull out their feathers as a result of a disease called contact dermatitis

Jump to full article »

Is secondhand smoke killing your cat?  

You probably wouldn't encourage a toddler to smoke, but if you subject your pet to secondhand smoke, you might as well be offering kitty a cigarette. "The correlation is similar to what is seen in children: Smaller lungs have less reserve and are more likely to be affected," says Laura Sullivan, DVM, of Cascade Hospital for Animals, in Grand Rapids, Mich.

Recent studies confirm Dr. Sullivan's assertion, warning that secondhand smoke may lead to deadly diseases in your cat. So if personal health risks haven't compelled you and your houseguests to quit smoking yet, there is a new incentive: the well-being of your cat.

Jump to full article »

• The sparrow that turned a village shop into £250,000 inferno after taking a smouldering cigarette to nest  

Insurance investigators concluded that a sparrow must have picked up a smouldering cigarette butt and deposited it among the dry twigs of its nest under the eaves.

The resulting conflagration caused £250,000 of damage at Crescent Stores in Leasingham, near Sleaford, Lincolnshire.

Initial investigations found no gas or electrical faults, but 35 cigarette ends were eventually found in various sparrows’ nests in the roof.

Mr Sheriff, 48, a non-smoker, said: ‘It’s a pity really because I like seeing birds around the place but to think one of these pesky sparrows took a cigarette end onto the roof and caused all this damage is amazing.

‘At the end of the day, what is done is done. It’s a busy shop and people jump out of their cars, drop their cigarette ends on the floor and come in to buy a packet of fags.

Jump to full article »

Owner saves cat from Arlington condo fire 

Investigators believe someone smoking in bed may have sparked a three-alarm condo fire in Arlington late Sunday night. . . .

After all tenants escaped safely, one resident realized his cat was still inside. He went back to his unit to rescue the feline. No one was hurt.

Three units in the three-story building were destroyed.

Jump to full article »

Kicking the Habit for Your Pet  

Nearly one in three smokers said the health of a pet would motivate them to try to kick the habit, the researchers reported in the medical journal Tobacco Control. Among non-smoking pet owners, 16 percent said pet health would spur them to ask a smoking family member to quit, while 24 percent said they would at least ask the smoker to take it outside.

The findings, said the researchers, suggest that public health campaigns focused on pets and smoking may be an effective way to convince some smokers to quit, or at least to help make the home smoke-free for non-smoking family members and pets.

Jump to full article »

OFM helps smoking chimp 

OFM presenter Rian van Heerden has joined the “Bloemfontein friends of the Zoo” by raising funds for a chimpanzee with a smoking habit.

Charlie, who is almost 50 years old, was imported from Texas and according to the Friends of the Zoo, Charlie's smoking habits had already started in Texas. This imported, smoking chimp made headlines in the region. But, instead of creating the awareness the Friends of the Zoo were looking for, they found themselves in a dilemma where visitors to the Zoo would throw cigarettes to Charlie so he could smoke it. The Zoo, being in a financial predicament, relies on corporate sponsorships and financial aid and doesn't have the resources to train and keep Charlie safe from abuse.

Van Heerden decided to help by asking his listeners to contribute by sending an SMS to the OFM short code number.

Jump to full article »

Tails Of The City : Secondhand smoke is toxic for pets too 

The American Legacy Foundation is challenging pet parents to quit smoking during the month of April, which is also Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Month. Research shows there are no safe levels of exposure to secondhand smoke for humans -- and that goes for animals as well. One new study reveals that nearly 30 percent of pets live in a home with at least one smoker. . . .

According to a study published in the February 2009 edition of Tobacco Control, 28 percent of pet owners who smoke reported that knowing about the dangers of secondhand smoke to their pets would help motivate them to try to quit smoking.

To better protect our pets, the American Legacy Foundation and ASPCA recommend that smokers "take it outside" when they light up. The foundation also provides resources to support smokers in their decision to quit, including BecomeAnEX.org, an interactive website with free tools and tips to help smokers develop a personalized plan for kicking the habit -- for good!

Jump to full article »

The Effects of Smoking.... 

"There is very little known about the effects of ETS on animals," notes Dr. Heather Wilson, an oncology specialist at the Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences.

While little may be known about the direct effects second-hand smoke has on pets, there have been several instances where it has been shown to increase the risk of certain cancers in animals.

"We do know that ETS increases a cat's risk of Squamous cell carcinoma, a type of tumor that occurs commonly in the mouth," says Dr. Wilson. "Laboratory studies using dogs trained to smoke cigarettes have shown that they develop typical lung pathology similar to those in humans, specifically bronchopneumonia, emphysema, fibrosis of the lungs and tumors of the lungs and bronchi."

Even though these studies are old and certainly not condoned by Texas A&M University, these and similar studies seem to show that ETS is harmful to animals. Again, it is important to note that there exists no compelling evidence to suggest that second-hand smoke will inevitably cause cancer.

"There are potential links to other tumors in dogs and cats, but no hard evidence to support it as a problem," comments Dr. Wilson. "It is likely one of the many factors that cause cancer, rather than producing a simple cause and effect relationship."

Jump to full article »

• Tobacco is Toxic for Toto Too 

The American Legacy Foundation(R) is challenging pet owners to quit smoking for their pets during the month of April, which kicks off Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Month. A growing body of research shows there are no safe levels of exposure to secondhand smoke -- for humans or for animals. And one new study shows that nearly 30 percent of pet owners live with at least one smoker -- a number far too high given the consequences of exposure to secondhand smoke ("SHS").

"Secondhand smoke doesn't just affect people," said Dr. Cheryl G. Healton, DrPH, President and CEO of the American Legacy Foundation(R), the national independent public health foundation dedicated to keeping young people from smoking and providing resources to smokers who want to quit. "While most Americans have been educated about the dangers of smoking to their own bodies, it is equally important that pet owners take action to protect their beloved domestic pets from the dangers of secondhand smoke."

Jump to full article »

Fire kills three cats in Hollywood apartment  

An apartment fire in Hollywood killed three cats shortly after their owner left for work Thursday, fire officials said. . . .

firefighters found that a cigarette had been left burning near a night stand.

Jump to full article »

• PETA Offers to Rescue Tobacco Quit Line 

Much to the dismay of struggling addicts in the Wolverine State, the Michigan Tobacco Quit Line has been shut down until October 1 because it just couldn't financially keep up with the requests for nicotine replacement therapy products.

As an organization that helps people fight another addiction (meat addiction, that is) we feel the quit line's pain.

That's why, after hearing about the help line's financial woes, we wrote a letter to the director of the Department of Community Health in Michigan offering to team up and help cover the hotline's costs. Our proposal includes renaming the quit line The Cancer Prevention Hotline (because that's the point, isn't it?) and including copies of PETA's free "Vegetarian Starter Kit" along with the other distributed materials.

Are you a smoker who needs another reason to quit? Did you know that most cigarettes are tested on animals? Gross.

Jump to full article »

Stop smoking for pet’s sake says PDSA! 

The 2007 smoking ban won’t just benefit the health of people, but our pets’ lives too, says leading veterinary charity, PDSA.

“The affects of passive smoking on humans is well documented, but pets are also affected by breathing in second-hand cigarette smoke, so it’s another good reason to quit,” says one of PDSA’s Senior Veterinary Surgeons, Elaine Pendlebury. “Pet’s play such an important part in so many people’s lives, and as owners we have a responsibility to care for their health and well-being.”

Research* shows cats exposed to second hand smoke were twice as likely to develop feline lymphoma, a type of cancer which can be fatal, in smoking households. Plus cigarette smoke is one of the most common causes of respiratory allergies in our feline friends, which makes them sneeze, cough and wheeze. Dogs are also very susceptible to smoking-related respiratory problems and their exposure to tobacco smoke has also been linked to nasal and sinus cancers*. In pets such as hamsters and guinea pigs, passive smoking can even contribute to alopecia (hair loss.)

Jump to full article »