The Dog Behavior Answer Book - Arden Moore [82]
Cough! Cough! Secondhand Smoke Dangers
Q I hope you can settle an argument in my family. My husband smokes about a pack of cigarettes a day. He usually smokes outside, but sometimes he smokes in the living room or bedroom. I know the dangers of secondhand smoke for nonsmoking people, but aren’t our dogs, Bella and Belagio, also at risk? What information can I share with him to convince him to stop smoking, or at least to smoke outside, away from me and the dogs?
A You are right that cigarette smoking negatively affects the health of household pets. Tobacco smoke contains more than 4,000 chemicals of which nearly 50, including nicotine, are known carcinogens. Chemicals from cigarette smoke can land on a pet’s hair and enter the body through the nostrils. When a dog or cat grooms himself, these chemicals are ingested, putting them at heightened risk for developing respiratory infections, asthma, and other conditions. A recent study conducted by researchers at Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University, published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, found that the risk of developing lymphoma tripled for cats and dogs exposed to secondhand tobacco smoke for five years or more. For pets living in households with two or more smokers, the risk for this type of cancer increased by a factor of four.
BREED BYTE
If you have a basset hound, keep him on dry land. With two-thirds of their weight up front and those short, stubby legs, bassets are not good swimmers, so don’t expect to see them doing laps with the Labradors.
The bottom line: Actively support your husband in kicking his smoking habit and you’ll improve the health of all members of your household, including your two dogs. Quitting smoking is very difficult, but if your husband won’t quit for his own health, knowing the effects secondhand smoke has on your beloved dogs might make a difference.
A friend of mine smoked nearly a pack of cigarettes a day for 20 years, but she never found the motivation to stop. The Tufts findings were enough to convince her to stop smoking to protect the health of her five cats. As she told me, “People can decide if and when they’re going to smoke, but their four-legged friends can’t.”
Ahh, There’s the Rub!
Q I attended a pet expo where one of the booths featured a dog-massage therapist. At first I laughed, but then I watched closely and noticed that the dogs seemed to really enjoy having massages. They all lay there quietly looking relaxed; one even fell asleep! Are massages good for dogs, and should I consider giving Dolly, my Dalmatian, massages at home?
A Therapeutic massage knows no boundaries, even of species. The purposeful kneading and pressing and the circular motion help loosen muscle knots, unleash tension, and increase blood flow and range of motion in all sorts of creatures. Regular massages can work wonders for a dog’s muscles and for her temperament as well. A nice massage not only warms body tissues and removes toxins and wastes from the body, but also conditions your dog to being touched, improves socialization, and bolsters your friendship bond. Dalmatians tend to be a bit energetic, so regular massage sessions might instill some calmness and relaxation in Dolly.
Once you learn massage, I guarantee that you will never pet your dog the same way again — no more head pats or back thumps. Here are some tips from Sue Furman, associate professor of anatomy and neurobiology at Colorado State University and one of the country’s top canine- and equine-massage therapy instructors.
SELECT THE RIGHT TIME to do a doggy massage — after a long walk or when Dolly has just woken up and is still sleepy and relaxed. She should welcome the massage, not resist it.
PICK A QUIET PLACE free of distractions and temptations