Dogs are excellent companions for various activities. And for always being by the tutor’s side, they end up receiving some food and even breathing cigarette smoke or other drugs used by their tutor. Is it bad for a dog to inhale the smoke of a weed cigarette?
Dog smoking weed
Dogs should not inhale the smoke from a weed cigarette. Dogs are sensitive to the components present in weed, which ends up intoxicating the animal.
If the tutor is smoking in a ventilated place, it may not affect their dogs, but if it is indoors, dogs can end up breathing in large amounts of weed smoke that can lead to irritation in the respiratory tract resulting in serious respiratory problems.
What is weed?
Weed is a plant for both medical and recreational use by humans. Weed is responsible for the human body’s relaxation. Weed can cause hallucinogenic effects and even accelerate the heartbeat in humans.
In dogs, the use of weed is not indicated, as it can lead to intoxication in the dog. However, the cannabidiol present in this plant when processed properly can bring benefits to some dogs that have seizures and some neurological diseases. However, cannabidiol should not be used without the guidance of a veterinarian.
Some harms of weed for dogs
Dogs can inhale the weed, or even eat the leftover weed cigarettes, or the tutor’s entire cigarette. Weed ingestion can be very harmful to dogs due to the high dosage of toxins present in weed cigarettes.
After ingestion of weed by the dog, the drug is metabolized in the liver and the active compound formed acts mainly on the central nervous system with clinical signs such as:
- Dilated pupils;
- Tremors;
- Too much drooling;
- Loss of motor coordination or involuntary movements;
- Diarrhea;
- Vomiting;
- Lethargy;
- Seizures.
In the brain, the active molecule interacts with important neurotransmitters, acting on neuronal receptors. Dogs can usually be fine after treatment is instituted.
Smoke harms dogs
In research carried out by Roza and Viegas in 2007, it was shown that dogs can present several health problems due to the inhalation of cigarette smoke from their tutors.
The main problems generated in dogs are:
- Nasal cancer;
- Sinus cancer;
- Lung cancer;
- Rhinitis;
- Asthma;
- Allergy;
- Conjunctivitis;
- Dermatitis.
The dogs respiratory tract is much more sensitive than the humans respiratory tract, so when breathing in small amounts of smoke, dogs may experience nasal irritation.
Nasal irritation caused by the components present in weed cigarette smoke can lead to rhinitis and conjunctivitis with sneezing, eye secretions and even coughing. Some dogs may still have Asthma, requiring evaluation by the veterinarian.
Some dogs may have a weed cigarette smoke allergy that can lead to sneezing, increased nasal, and eye discharge. Some allergies can even lead to canine dermatitis with itching and redness of the skin.
Daily exposure of dogs to weed cigarette smoke can be extremely harmful to the animal’s health. Because the components of cigarette smoke can lead to the development of tumors and cancer in the nasal and pulmonary region.
In addition, dogs can end up burning themselves with lit cigarettes. And they can also end up eating a part or even a whole weed cigarette.
Substances present in weed cigarettes when absorbed by the dog’s gastrointestinal tract can lead to intoxication in the animal, which may even show neurological signs when not treated properly.
Conclusion
Dogs must not smoke weed. The contact of the animal with the weed smoke cigarettes should be avoided. Thus, it is recommended never to smoke near the dog, and if it is necessary to smoke in open places to avoid the smoke inhalation by the dogs. The use of cannabidiol can bring benefits to dogs, but this drug should not be used without a veterinarian’s prescription.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): Dog smoking cigarette
What happens to a dog that eats weed?
The dog can become intoxicated and thus present complications that, if not monitored and treated, can lead to death.
Main symptoms of weed ingestion by dogs:
- Dilated pupils;
- Tremors;
- Too much drooling;
- Loss of motor coordination or involuntary movements;
- Diarrhea;
- Vomiting;
- Lethargy;
- Seizures.
Can you smoke near the dog?
Cigarette smoke brings severe harm to the respiratory system of dogs, so it is recommended not to smoke around dogs. Dogs, because they are more sensitive, can present irritation and inflammation of the airways and the excessive stimulation of cigarettes can lead to cancer and tumors.
What to do when the dog inhales weed smoke?
If the animal shows any symptoms, it is important that the tutor take the animal quickly to emergency care, especially if there is suspicion of other respiratory diseases.
References
de MIRANDA, A. L. S., Benito, S. O. T. O., & Melo, M. M. (2017). Intoxicações de cães por drogas recreativas: maconha e cocaína.
Löfroth, G. (1989). Environmental tobacco smoke: overview of chemical composition and genotoxic components. Mutation Research/Genetic Toxicology, 222(2), 73-80.
Roza, M. R., & Viegas, C. A. A. (2007). The dog as a passive smoker: effects of exposure to environmental cigarette smoke on domestic dogs. Nicotine & tobacco research, 9(11), 1171-1176.
Picture from pixabay.com
