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Passive Smoking and Our Pets Now I do understand that in starting this thread I may be giving the "Anti Smoking Lobby" an open door to preach and dictate to all who are here on how filthy the habit of smoking is. PLEASE PLEASE don't turn this thread into an anti smoking thread that is NOT the idea of it. My friend is a cat lover and has recently rescued a cat from a house where the old person had died. We do not know how old this pet is but she did discover it had difficulty breathing so took it to the vet. After three weeks and various tests and medication the vet informed my friend that the poor cat had Emphysema and there was nothing they could do but to put the animal to sleep. My friend was devastated and checking with neighbours of the old lady who died discovered the old lady smoked 80 cigarettes a day and the cat was always on her knee. This made me think about my loved ones and as to how many pet owners smoked with their pet in the room. Do we all understand that it is not just the human who suffers with passive smoking it is the animal or bird as well. Now let me say that I am a reformed smoker of five years who also suffers with Emphysema but I have never in the past even considered that a pet can be effected......how stupid can I be. !!!!! :( |
I have been a smoker for 36 years. BUT I do not smoke in my house never have never will. I also have a senegal parrott he is 16 years old. Because of the bird I have wanted to sneek a smoke even more so with Andy and Scooter now. I want them healthy . |
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I've been smoking for nearly 60 years now... No Lung Cancer, Emphysema, or any other smoking related problems. I've had animals (dogs/cats/birds) throughout that whole time, and none of them have ever had any Respiratory problems. Am I an advocate of smoking....ABSOLUTELY NOT ! If you don't smoke...DON'T START ! If you smoke, you probably should...QUIT ! But, I can't help but shake my head a little, on how smoking is blamed on just about everything including hangnails. You rarely hear of an equal, or greater number of people who have never smoked, and never been around one (secondary) who have Lung Cancer and other respiratory usually related to smoking. It's not sensationalistic enough to sell papers and magazines ! And, I'm here to tell you, that luck has nothing to do with it. |
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I really did enjoy smoking my pipe and did not want to stop but life is better than death which is closer now than ever before. We all hear stories like yours and I agree luck is not an element of it perhaps it is better to call it "chance". My first wife died aged 56. She never ever smoked, drank or used drugs. She was an active lady who spent many years nursing but she died at work of a heart attack. Chance again I suspect. The fact is that smoking is the only cause of COPD (as far as I understand) which leads on to Emphysema which my mother died of and it was a long painful death as well. I don't object to people smoking that is their human right but I do not think that smokers should attempt to simplify or make light of the fact that it does cause major medical problems not just for human being but also pets. I have quoted a case which was a terrible thing to see. You quoted your own case of animals not being effected. OK, I agree not all are effected but IMHO my story was worth the telling. |
I also used to smoke in my home until one of my cats was diagnosed with Asthma. Now we only smoke outside never in the house and nobody is permitted to smoke in my home. My wake up call came when I heard Olivia my 6 year old cat fighting for a breath although out of our 15 cats she is the only one who had the problem. Now we have 5 dogs and I told my friend Dont even think about lighting up in the house anymore. Now we are saving alot of money because we don't smoke that much and our home doesn't smell like an ashtray. When I think about what I was doing to my pets I could cry. I can't believe how stupid I was. |
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bWY39, I am deeply sorry for the loses you have experienced, and IMHO, your story was definitely worth telling. |
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I used to smoke around my cats and they didnt have any respiratory problems but I think each pet can be different like humans. I go outside now but Im also currently trying to quit. |
My husband smokes cigars outside,not in the house. I am asthmatic and he is very aware that I can not sit downwind from him. We treat the dogs and birds the same way. So the dogs may be present but they stay upwind. If the smoke hangs in the air then Dad has to finish his cigar alone. I do think that some animals as well as people are more sensitive to smoke. In reference to the comment that smoking is the only thing that causes COPD,it is not. People with asthma also experience COPD,it is scaring due to the really bad coughing fiits that someone with asthma can have or the continued battle with pneumonia throughout their lives. My mother suffers from this and so did several other relatives non of which ever smoked. |
Cigarette smoking is the leading cause of COPD, but pollution/irritants, and even congenital predisposition do too. Im sorry about the poor cat. I dont doubt the second hand smoke killed her. I feel the same way about parents who smoke inside their car or homes with their child rides the backseat. I dont care if anyone smokes and agree its a very personal choice and right but your pets and kids have a right to live smoke-free given the choice, but it is unfair to make that choice for them! |
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We went to visit our friend and we had to leave as we could not stand seeing the cat suffer like that. I am in no way a cat lover but I could not see an animal gasping for breath like that poor cat did. |
That is such a sad story and one more reason for smokers to stop. Poor little cat has to be so sick through no fault of its own. Think of all the suffering of people and creatures that has come from the use of tobacco. |
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You're totally right though about smoking outside only, we smoke alot less than if we could just light up whenever we wanted to and I know that my pets and son aren't being harmed by my awefull addiction. |
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