There’s a joke in the journalism world about headlines that ask questions. Why? Because the answer is almost always no. It has a lot to do with headlines being framed as clickbait. That is not the case here. The answer is a big YES. Indeed, vaping near pets can put them at risk, especially if the area is not well ventilated. Here’s why and what to look for.
Nicotine is Toxic to Pets (Other Ingredients Too)
Nicotine, itself, in any form is toxic to pets, especially cats who are more likely to lick vape residue off their fur.
Keep vape cartridges out of pet’s reach as well, including disposing of them away from pets and not just tossing them in the trash when empty. That concentrated brew of ingredients — nicotine, CBD, THC, and other chemicals, depending on the type of vape used — could turn quickly into a poisoning situation if a dog or cat chewed the cartridges.
A lot of dogs find the smell of THC / CBD products very enticing — hence the increased incidents of THC ingestion in veterinary emergency rooms.
The batteries in vape devices can also put pets at risk if ingested.
Vaping Effects on Pets’ Breathing
Since cats are more prone to asthma, the vape cloud potentially does them harm on that front as well. In dogs, the outcome might look more like bronchitis. And, if we have any bird people reading, birds are especially sensitive to air quality … hence the canary in the coal mine thing.
So, watch for things like:
- Coughing
- Wheezing
- Other changes in breathing
Other Symptoms
- Eye irritation and excessive tears (rubbing their face)
- Drooling
- Vomiting
- Other allergic responses – skin, mouths, ears, sneezing
Old-School Secondhand Smoke
Many years ago I wrote a very short piece for Reader’s Digest about the dangers of secondhand smoke to dogs. while this detail didn’t end up in the final draft, what I remember most is that…
- Short-nosed dogs were more likely to develop lung cancer.
- Long-nosed dogs were more likely to develop nasal or sinus cancers.
The final version also explained that cats are more likely to develop malignant lymphoma or oral cancers.
So, Yeah, Vaping Near Pets is Risky
If you vape or smoke a lot, please try to do it outside or in a really well ventilated area away from your pets.