Tips:

* Make your home smoke free. And with the growing trend of cats in the workplace, make your place of business smoke free as well. According to the American Cancer Society, a smoke-free home and workplace protects one’s family, guests, and pets.

* Check the policy of pet-friendly hotels and motels. In some properties, pets are welcome only in smoking rooms.

* Change air duct, heating/air conditioning, humidifier and dehumidifier filters on a regular basis.

* When using cleaning agents and aerosol products, make sure the area is well-ventilated.

* If you or someone you know smokes and has a pet, smoke outdoors or in a room where the pet isn’t likely to be.

Resources:

“On the Road with Man’s Best Friend,” Dawbert Press, Inc., Duxbury, MA 02331, 800-93-DAWBERT, http://www.gorp.com/dawbert/ONTHERD.htm

www.Pets.com. Click on Resources for Pet-friendly lodging.
www.petswelcome.com
www.VetCentric.com

“Cancer Facts and Figures 2000: Tobacco Use,” American Cancer Society,
800-ACS-2345, E-mail: EmailCenter@email.cancer.org

“Does your cat smoke?” by Caffilene Allen, CATsumer Report, January/February 1998, pp. 12-13, Good Communications, Inc., Austin, TX, 512-454-6090.

“A Brief Guide to Indoor Air Pollutants and Relevance to Small Animals,” by Janice A. Dye and Daniel L. Costa, Kirk’s Current Veterinary Therapy XII, Small Animal Practice, pp. 252-257.

“Passive Smoking and Canine Lung Cancer Risk,” by John S. Reif, Kari Dunn, Gregory K. Ogilvie and Cheryl K. Harris, American Journal of Epidemiology, 1992;135(3):234-239.

“Cancer of the Nasal Cavity and Paranasal Sinuses and Exposure to Environmental Tobacco Smoke in Pet Dogs,” by John S. Reif, Christa Bruns and Kimberly S. Lower, American Journal of Epidemiology, 1998;147(5):488-492.


Copyright © 2000 by Susan Bard Hall. All rights reserved.

This article first ran in the July/August 2000 issue of Pet Times™.