Do you smoke? We cannot tell you not to do it. However, we can inform you of how bad it is for your pet to breathe in secondhand smoke. Research has shown how bad it can be for humans and it turns out that it’s just as bad for our pets as well. In fact, it leads to a number of health issues and cell damage. Research and studies on this matter have increased over the last few years as more and more people have taken up smoking. The best advice we can give before offering some research – if you do smoke, please keep it far away from your pets!

According to Professor Clare Knottenbelt of the University of Glasgow, “Our findings show that exposure to smoke in the home is having a direct impact on pets. It risks ongoing cell damage, increasing weight gain after castration and has previously been shown to increase the risk of certain cancers.”

Victoria Smith, a veterinarian who is actively investigating the link between smoking and lymphoma in pets, says, “Our work so far has shown that cats take in significant amounts of smoke, and even having outdoor access makes very little difference.”

The same study from the University of Glasgow found that a gene that acts as a marker of cell damage was higher in dogs living in homes where people smoke than those in homes with no smokers.

The entire team at Brodheadsville Veterinary Clinic want you and your pet to live very long, healthy lives and we hope tips like this can help. If you do smoke, please go outside and keep it away from the indoor areas that your pets spend their time. You will be doing them quite the service in the long run. If you have any questions about this, please do not hesitate to reach out to a member of our friendly staff.