Second-hand cigarette smoke is seriously harmful to the health of dogs, cats and other pets. That is the finding of research that also raises the alarm at a veterinary level.
Smoking is bad for you. And cigarette smoke becomes a dangerous substance, a killer, for the family dogs and cats too — victims of living with a smoker. This is confirmed by research from the veterinary department of the University of Glasgow, picked up by the British broadcaster the BBC. According to the study conducted by Professor Claire Knottenbelt, an oncologist, dogs and cats not only inhale the smoke they breathe in, but also ingest nicotine when they groom their fur — effectively making them smokers in every sense. In this way they risk developing lethal forms of lung cancer or breast cancer, while smaller animals such as birds, rabbits and guinea pigs may face respiratory problems and skin conditions.
The British research was conducted by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, which collaborated with the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) on a new campaign aimed at informing owners about the harm that smoking can also have on the lives of our animal companions.
Vets have also been alerted, as they increasingly find themselves dealing with conditions in four-legged friends caused by second-hand smoke. "Many people will have been shocked to discover that smoking was harming their pet," explained Wendy Preston, head of the RCN, "and in some cases it had severely shortened the animal's life expectancy."
The University of Glasgow, also known for its small animal hospital, has been conducting research for years into the effects of second-hand smoke on domestic pets. The study examined 40 dogs — half of which came from homes with smokers — recruited for the research. Hair samples were analysed by the researchers to detect nicotine levels, while their owners were asked to fill in a survey specifying how often they or any visitors smoked.
The same research was also conducted on 60 cats, with particular attention to the possibility of establishing a link between second-hand smoke and feline lymphoma, a cancer that affects cats' white blood cells. In the case of cats, a particular variable also had to be taken into account: stray cats could potentially be exposed to second-hand smoke in other people's homes too, or when sitting at the entrance to pubs or workplaces where groups of smokers gather.
Second-hand smoke causes harm to human health through the development of conditions largely comparable to those caused by active smoking. In Italy, mortality from this phenomenon stands at around 2,800 deaths per year.
"It seems incredible, but currently more than eight out of ten Italians do not know that second-hand smoke can cause lung cancer, and seven out of ten regularly smoke indoors. What's more, awareness of the risk factors associated with tobacco is so low that almost half of Italians believe that lung cancer cannot be prevented," explains Dr Renata Daniele, cardiologist and pulmonologist — "and 43 per cent believe that quitting smoking does not reduce the risk of developing cancer."
The problem of second-hand smoke and the dangers of cigarettes in general may receive an unexpected boost from this new research. Love for one's four-legged companion may perhaps convince more than a few of us to give up this pointless and harmful habit, in favour of a healthier and more civilised lifestyle.