Can a Cigarette Kill My Puppy?

Cigarettes can be as lethal or more lethal to pets as they are to humans. Many scientific studies confirm that secondhand smoke and tobacco products are unsafe for pets.

  1. Secondhand Smoke

    • According to Oklahoma State University veterinarian Carolynn MacAllister, secondhand smoke can cause lung and nasal cancers in dogs. Long-nosed dogs particularly are susceptible to nasal cancers, which are particularly deadly. Dogs who have nasal cancer usually die within a year. Short- and medium-nosed dogs are more likely to get lung cancer, which is also a death sentence.

    Nicotine Poisoning

    • Dogs can suffer from nicotine poisoning. Luckily, most dogs hate the taste of tobacco. But there are plenty of dogs, especially puppies, who will ingest cigarette butts and cigarettes if left out. Nicotine is toxic to pets at 1/2 to 1 mg per pound of your puppy's body weight. Cigarettes contain between 9 mg and 30 mg of nicotine. Depending upon your puppy's weight, your puppy can get sick or die from nicotine poisoning.

    Symptoms of Nicotine Poisoning

    • Symptoms of nicotine poisoning include drooling, tremors, vomiting, twitching, seizures, fast heart rate, high blood pressure, hallucinations, diarrhea, constricted pupils and overall excitement.

    What to Do

    • Should your puppy accidentally ingest tobacco or cigarettes, you should seek immediate veterinary attention. The veterinarian likely will induce vomiting or pump the puppy's stomach. Your vet will treat your puppy if he has seizures. Dogs who survive after the first four hours are likely to make it, assuming the dog is healthy and has no liver problems.