Yes, cigarette smoke can cause gastrointestinal upset in dogs, leading to symptoms such as vomiting and diarrhea. This is primarily due to nicotine toxicity, which occurs when a dog inhales second-hand smoke over time or, more acutely and severely, ingests tobacco products.
Even if they don't develop cancer, pets can have strong reactions to smoke particles in the air. Just like their human families, pets can develop respiratory infections, lung inflammation, eye problems and asthma when exposed to second hand smoke.
Symptoms of Nicotine Poisoning in Pets
Yes, secondhand smoke is harmful to pets. It causes respiratory problems.
To illustrate, a dosage of 4mg of nicotine per pound of body weight is considered fatal to dogs. However, a single cigarette contains 10-30mg of nicotine, which means it will take barely 16 cigarettes to potentially kill a 60-pound Golden Retriever. This holds for other forms of tobacco as well.
The first signs of poisoning in dogs vary but often include vomiting, diarrhea, drooling, lethargy, and tremors, alongside potential agitation, pale gums, or unsteadiness, with severe cases leading to seizures or collapse. These symptoms depend on the toxin, but any sudden onset of illness after potential exposure to household cleaners, medications, or toxic foods (like chocolate, xylitol) warrants immediate vet contact, as some poisons act very quickly.
Smoke can irritate your pet's eyes and respiratory tract. Animals with heart or lung disease and older pets are especially at risk from smoke and should be closely watched during all periods of poor air quality.
Dogs exposed to secondhand smoke have more eye infections, allergies, and respiratory issues, including lung cancer. Cigarette smoke can stay in a room for a considerable period of time, even after the smell is gone.
Pets suffer from a lot of the same conditions as humans do from passive smoking: Toxins in tobacco smoke can damage your pet's cells. This can mean they're more at risk of certain types of cancer including lung, nose, mouth cancers and lymphoma.
Excessive urea (called uremia) can cause the dog's breath to smell like ammonia, urine or even “fishy” when they exhale. Other signs of kidney failure include loss of appetite, increased thirst and urination, weight loss, vomiting, diarrhea and in later stages anemia (pale gums and weakness).
Toxicity in dogs can show up anywhere from minutes to several days or even months after exposure, depending entirely on the substance; some toxins (like alcohol or certain pesticides) are rapid, causing symptoms like drooling or seizures quickly, while others (like some rat poisons) cause delayed internal bleeding over days, requiring immediate veterinary attention even if the dog seems fine. Always contact your vet or the Pet Poison Helpline (855-764-7661) immediately if you suspect poisoning, even without symptoms.
Nicotine poisoning in pets has a rapid onset of symptoms. Clinical signs generally occur within 15 to 60 minutes following ingestion.
Treatment will depend on how much nicotine has been ingested, but doctors commonly use activated charcoal to bind the nicotine in the stomach and take it out of the body. Other medications may be administered to manage blood pressure, heart rate and seizures.
Dogs can experience allergic reactions to secondhand smoke. Common symptoms of this allergic reaction are the scratching, biting, and chewing of their skin. Owners often confuse this reaction with fleas or food allergies. Cigarette butts can also be deadly.
Symptoms of nicotine poisoning include:
Yes, dogs can get high from inhaling secondhand marijuana smoke, but it would likely take copious amounts of weed smoke in a small space for a dog to become intoxicated.
Second hand smoke exposure
Passive smoking is a health risk. There is no risk-free level of passive (second-hand) smoke exposure for animals or people. Companion animals, including (but not limited to) dogs, cats, birds, mice, guinea pigs and fish, are susceptible to the damaging effects of second-hand smoke.
Still, cigarettes have plenty of nicotine and even a small cigarette butt can mean serious illness or even death for a small pet. The toxic dose for nicotine in pets is 0.5 to one mg per pound of pet body weight while the lethal dose is four mg per pound of pet body weight.
Not smoking around your pet is the only way to protect them completely. Smoking outdoors will help reduce the amount of smoke that they inhale. Smoking in a separate room may not solve the problem as the particles will still remain on your clothes and any furniture nearby.
The most common signs of exposure may irritate the throat, nose, and eyes, making them red or watery. It can also cause coughing, gagging, a fast respiratory rate even when they are at rest, or difficulty breathing. Contact your veterinarian if you have concerns about your pet's exposure risk or symptoms.
Studies have shown that damage from secondhand smoke occurs in as little as five minutes and inflammatory and respiratory responses occur almost immediately: After five minutes: Arteries become less flexible, just like they do in a person who's smoking a cigarette.
Even when our pets are not directly inhaling smoke they still suffer from the lingering toxins. All animals (even fish) present in a house where smoking is active indoors have a substantial risk of cancer, especially lung cancer.
Nicotine toxicity and recovery follows a fairly rapid timeline. Clinical signs are usually noted within the hour. If a dog can be supported successfully through the first four hours after onset of symptoms, they are very likely to recover. It is rare for a dog to be hospitalized longer than 24-48 hours.
Dogs are highly susceptible to the harmful effects of secondhand smoke. Potential health risks include: Respiratory problems: Secondhand smoke can irritate a dog's respiratory system, leading to coughing, sneezing, and wheezing. Chronic exposure can contribute to or exacerbate asthma and bronchitis.
Most people with smoke inhalation will be assessed in an emergency department with the majority making a full recovery without any long-term adverse effects. However, some people exposed to smoke can take up to 24—36 hours to develop signs of serious lung irritation.