It makes sense that second-hand smoke affects the health of our pets,
but our furry friends suffer a triple-threat from tobacco. In addition
to the obvious danger of lung cancer, dogs and cats lick the residual
tar and nicotine from their coats, which can cause mouth and throat
cancers. Curious animals also face potentially fatal nicotine
poisoning from eating any tobacco products they find.
A Tuft's University study found that cats living in homes with smokers
are more than twice as likely than other cats to acquire feline
lymphoma cancer. This type of cancer was previously thought to occur
as a result of feline leukemia. In a Science Daily re****t, Dr. Antony
Moore of Tuft's said, "The results of our study clearly indicate that
exposure to environmental factors such as second-hand tobacco smoke
has devastating consequences for cats because it significantly
increases their likelihood of contracting lymphoma."
According to an Associated Press re****t, "In households where they
were exposed five years or more, cats had more than triple the risk.
In a two-smoker household, the risk went up by a factor of four." In
some cases, cats were at higher risk for cancer than humans living in
the same home....
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