Published in The Post-Star (B14)
3/26/06
Smokers surely know about the health risks they inhale -- it would be hard to miss the Surgeon General's warnings on each pack of cigarettes.
And thanks to the nutrition facts published on food packages, consumers have little room for surprise about the obesity and related illnesses brought on by a Twinkie-based diet.
Too bad Rover can't read.
Pets must rely on people to protect their health, but sometimes, their owners' bad habits have the opposite effect.
Cats and dogs living in smoking households face more than double the risk of developing certain cancers than pets whose owners do not smoke in the house, according to The Southern Adirondack Tobacco-Free Coalition.
The coalition recently launched a campaign aimed at pet owners, with the tagline: "I'll love you no matter what ... but your cigarettes are hurting me."
"We are reaching out to pet owners and urging them to quit for the sake of their pet's health," said Margaret LaFrance, coordinator of the campaign.
Dogs with long noses, like collies and German shepherds, are at particular risk of nasal and sinus cancer, while cats often develop malignant lymphoma from prolonged exposure to secondhand smoke.
As in humans, inhaling tobacco smoke can cause respiratory problems for pets. Cats and birds in smoking households seem to be especially prone to chronic asthma.
And just try convincing a parrot to take an inhaler.
"The difficulty of treating animals in asthma situations is the concept of an inhaler doesn't work, so you have to use things like oral bronchosteroids," said Saratoga Springs veterinarian Chris Brockett. "And an animal has to be treated all the time, because you never know when they might have an attack. They can't tell you."
Brockett said, besides smoking, food is probably the biggest way humans unintentionally hurt their pets.
"Obesity is the No. 1 problem seen by vets across the country, especially in dogs," he said. "It's linked to arthritis and cardiac issues, and it can actually cut a few years off their life. Quit feeding them table scraps."
Even if your dog doesn't get fat off sharing your fries, other things can happen.
"Nowadays, dogs are bred to be very good at digesting one thing -- dog food," Brockett said. "They don't do so hot when you start throwing things like chicken, steak, and spaghetti at them. It can give them vomiting or loose stools, we see that all the time."
As most people know, the cocoa compounds in chocolate can be toxic to dogs, although Brockett said people shouldn't overreact if their dog eats a moderate amount of milk chocolate.
"An M&M is certainly not going to kill them," he said. "If they eat enough, they'll usually just throw up."
And what about that other beloved bad habit of many humans -- alcohol?
"While I certainly wouldn't tell people it's a great idea to give their dog a beer, I don't think it would cause long-term damage like cirrhosis or cancer," Brockett said. "We don't know for sure what happens. It's not like you can ask, 'Are you feeling a little buzzed?' "
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