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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

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