BRENDEN PALMER

It should come as no surprise that smoking cigarettes is damaging to one’s health and also endangers those around you, but recent research suggests that secondhand smoke can be just as damaging to household pets as it is to humans.

Truth, an organization that is dedicated to ending tobacco use through education, recently released a satirical video entitled “#CATmageddon” that exposes how cats that live with smokers are twice as likely to develop cancer than cats that live with non-smokers.

Furthermore, Truth states that cats are not only harmed by the inhalation of secondhand smoke, but also take in smoke toxins from the environment that have been absorbed into furniture and that are emitted from their owner’s skin and hair. Since cats are constantly brushing up against their owners and their environment, toxins can accumulate on their fur and later be ingested when they groom themselves.

Speaking about the issue of secondhand smoke is Miranda Sadar, assistant professor of exotic, wildlife and zoological medicine at the University of Saskatchewan’s Western College of Veterinary Medicine.

“The additives in cigarette smoke damage the specialized skin cells that line the entirety of the respiratory tract, called epithelial cells, whether it be in a cat, rabbit, bird or anything else. Once those cells have been damaged, there is no barrier to protect the tract from opportunistic bacteria, fungi or other particles in the environment. This makes the animals much more susceptible to secondary infections,” Sadar said.

According to Sadar, it is important that students further their education, no matter what they are presently studying, and recognize how harmful smoking is not only to themselves but also to their pets. In doing so, they may be more likely to quit smoking or less likely to take up the habit in the first place.

While the video focuses on cats as the clear Internet favourite, Sadar emphasizes how cigarette toxins are especially damaging to pet birds.

“Overall, birds have very sensitive and specialized respiratory systems that are more efficient than those found in mammals. In addition to their lungs and upper airway, birds also have air sacs which allow air to be transferred more efficiently to their lungs and tissues. Their respiratory systems also extend into their bones as well,” Sadar said.

Due to their more efficient respiratory systems, birds succumb to toxins more quickly at a dose that would be better tolerated by mammals.

Sadar added that since birds often live in cages that are higher than ground level, their perches and feeding trays accumulate a high amount of toxins over time.

Treating animals that have been affected by cigarette smoke varies depending on the severity of the damage. According to Sadar, animals that are suffering from inflammation are usually prescribed an anti-inflammatory drug that is similar to Ibuprofen for humans. If pets develop cancer, however, treatment becomes more difficult and costly.

“Vets have to determine what cell type the cancer is and if there are any treatments that are available. So far, the information that is available on cancer treatment in birds and rabbits is somewhat limited, but more research is being done on cancer in animals,” Sadar said.

Cancer is a very serious condition for animals, just like in humans. If pets develop cancer they may have to undergo expensive radiation and chemotherapy.

In order to protect their pets and themselves, Sadar encourages students and pet owners alike to quit smoking.

“I often tell pet owners that animals are just like us: any improvement that you make is going to be better than if you continue exposure. The damage will stop, but the consequences that are a result of the damage that has already been caused are going to vary depending on the amount of exposure and length of time. Quitting smoking is the best thing for everyone’s health.”

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Image: Ashley Britz