July 18: When a dog smells of cigarette smoke, veterinarians immediately understand that the animal is breathing in second-hand smoke.
Known as a “smoker’s poodle,” the pet “presumably sits on somebody's lap as they smoke, and we think, ‘Oh, this is bad for the animal,’” says Elizabeth Rozanski, D.V.M., DACVIM , DACVECC, a professor of small animal clinical sciences at Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University.
Rozanski and her then-graduate student, Nichole Smith, MBS/MPH, wanted to understand what percentage of pets live in homes with second-hand smoke. They already knew that smoking falls along socioeconomic lines: Most people who smoke have relatively low incomes. They wondered, then, if animals living in lower-income areas are more likely to be exposed to second-hand smoke than those in middle- or high-income areas.
Perhaps more importantly, they wanted to find out if by talking with pet owners about second-hand smoke and animal health, veterinarians might influence human health for the better. Their new study in the Journal of Shelter Medicine and Community Animal Health suggests that it’s worth a try.
In the study, Rozanski and Smith analyzed 168 samples of pet urine collected from four Massachusetts communities whose residents had a range of incomes, from $31,000 to $250,000. They did so using a test that measures the amount of cotinine, a marker of environmental tobacco smoke, in urine.
Overall, 10 percent of pets tested positive for urine cotinine. In the lowest-income community, that rate was 27 percent, while 12 percent of pets in lower-middle income towns tested positive for cotinine. Just one percent of pets in upper-middle income towns tested positive. No pets from high-income communities tested positive.
It’s unclear exactly how living with a smoker affects cats and dogs. “There have been a number of studies trying to parse out what's bad for them,” Rozanski says. “It's clearly better not to be exposed to smoke, but we don't have any evidence to say that if you smoke around your dog, they're more likely to get this disease or that disease.”
Rozanski’s study reflects the One Health Initiative, which embraces the idea that animal, human, and environmental health are all deeply entwined. This interconnectedness shows up in animal clinics, because talking with clients about how second-hand smoke might affect pets and other family members could encourage owners to try to quit. According to Rozanski’s research, an earlier study found that “up to 50 percent of pet owners would try to decrease or eliminate their pet’s exposure to if they knew the risks,” according to her study.
When veterinarians understand the likelihood that their clients smoke, it “gives them another way to help people who may be smoking to not smoke around their pets, the same way they would not smoke around their kids,” Rozanski says. That’s important, because smoking cigarettes is a huge health risk. It affects the human body holistically, announcing itself as health issues ranging from lung cancer to heart problems.
As Rozanski’s study notes, these problems don’t affect the American population equally. Tobacco companies target lower-income communities, and there’s little support for smoking-cessation programs in the most affected communities.
Even the impacts of second-hand smoke are amplified in lower-income communities, where homes tend to be smaller than those in wealthier areas. While smoke might dissipate in a 4,500-square-foot home, “if you have a 600-square-foot studio apartment, you're out of work due to disability, and you're home smoking with the dog, there's going to be a higher risk associated with that,” Rozanski says. “If you're a clinician serving a lower-income area, be cognizant that a lot more of these animals may be exposed to smoke.”
The prevalence of smoking among lower-income communities is a reminder that highly prosperous Americans live 10 to 14 years longer than their less affluent counterparts-making veterinary office conversations a path toward greater economic justice. Rozanski hopes her study encourages veterinarians to have potentially uncomfortable conversations with pet owners.
“It's really hard to talk to owners about lifestyle stuff,” she says. “I would love for veterinarians to add that to the conversation about how much exercise your dog gets, how much mental enrichment your dog gets, and what else is happening with them? How are you making sure they have a good quality of life?”
Documenting second-hand smoke exposure can also open the way for discussions about smoking cessation, and for sharing the resources to help accomplish that goal. It’s information that could help bridge the lifespan gap between less and more affluent communities.
And even though it’s unclear exactly how second-hand smoke affects cats, dogs, and other pets, “There’s no way it’s good for them,” Rozanski says. The assumption is that second-hand smoke affects animals much as it does humans. Living in smoke-free homes could mean fewer respiratory issues and less diabetes and cancers, including nasal cancer, among pets.
“Just because we haven't clearly documented something doesn't mean it doesn't happen,” Rozanski says. “Your dog wants you to be around as long as possible. We know that smoking will limit your lifespan - I’m sure nobody wants to do that to their dog.”