The effects of second-hand smoke are known to have harmful impacts on dogs, other pets, and humans. So when vapes were introduced to the market, some dog owners who smoke thought that switching to that would have less of a harmful impact on dogs, but is that true or just an unethical marketing scheme?
So, can vaping affect dogs?
Yes, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals ( ASPCA) Animal Poison Control Center and the Pet Poison Helpline, there is a growing number of cases being reported regarding pets, including dogs getting sick and being poisoned by the electronic cigarettes and their components.
If you care about your pooch’s health but you vape, know someone who vapes, or you are interested in becoming aware of why vaping near dogs is harmful to them, then You should continue reading this blog post.
Can vaping affect dogs?
Yes, vaping can negatively affect your four-legged best friend. Although nicotine-free vape juice is not considered to be dangerous to dogs, especially since the vape clouds dissipate quickly into the air. This means that your dog is not going to inhale much vapor.
But pet owners should still be mindful while vaping nicotine-free vape juice and avoid blowing the vapor into their pooch’s face.
However, the typical person who swaps cigarets to e-cigarettes is mostly going to have vape juice that has nicotine in it, and liquids and vape pens with nicotine are very toxic for both dogs and humans. But it is more toxic to dogs.
Okay, but what are e-cigarettes?
What are e-cigarettes?
E-cigarettes or an electronic cigarette is an innovative vaporizer that is battery-powered that is used to deliver nicotine. As you can see, this innovative method of smoking can still affect our four-legged best friend’s health.
Why does vaping make dogs sick?
The thing is, some vapes could hold the same amount of nicotine that is found in a cigarette, and often it has even more. Like with cigarettes, some vapers will continue vaping after finishing an entire container, thus increasing the amount of nicotine you pooch gets exposed to.
As if the nicotine in vape containers is not bad enough, some flavors and scents are added to the pen’s juice to elevate the consumer’s vaping experience, but everything comes with a price.
You see, dogs are attracted to such sweet scents, which is going to make them want to be closer to you when you are vaping, which makes them inhale even more of the toxic nicotine vapors.
Things that play a role in what type of effects the nicotine that is in the vape container or juice on your four-legged best friend include the following:
- The size of your dog
- Your dog’s overall health
- The concentration of nicotine that is in the vape juice or container
If you are still not convinced that vaping around your dogs is terrible for them, then maybe the associate director of veterinary services at Pet Poison Helpline could change your mind.
Ahna Brutlag, a doctor in veterinary medicine, says the following:
“We’ve handled cases for pets poisoned by eating traditional cigarettes or tobacco products containing nicotine for many years, but, as the use of e-cigarettes has become more widespread, our call volume for cases involving them has increased considerably.” – Ahna Brutlag from thebark.com
Unfortunately, nicotine vapor is not the only reason why e-cigarettes are dangerous to dogs. You see, dogs can also get sick if they chew and ingest a piece of the electronic cigarette batteries. The batteries of the electronic cigarette can cause burns due to their alkalinity.
Symptoms of vape poisoning in dogs
Dogs become very ill right after ingesting even the smallest amount of an electronic cigarette’s liquid nicotine.
Did you know that the liquid nicotine that is in electronic cigarettes gets absorbed by the body more rapidly, thoroughly, and even sometimes in more significant amounts compared to regular cigarettes?
A few of the most common symptoms due to nicotine poisoning in dogs include the following:
- If they vomit
- If they are inactive or being lethargic
- Sudden weakness in the legs
- Their heart rate might become rapid
- They might have diarrhea
- They might appear to be agitated
- They might begin shaking
- They might drool
Dogs who even consume more nicotine might display signs of depression, and their heart rate is going to be lower. Unfortunately, such symptoms become prominent when a dog is about to die.
Symptoms that precede a dog’s death due to liquid nicotine poising include the following:
- They would have a lower heart rate
- They might show signs of depression
How to handle liquid nicotine poisoning in dogs?
If you find out that your beloved dog chewed on an e-cigarette’s juice or cartridge, or if they bit into your e-cigarette’s battery, then you should take them to veterinarian instantly.
If you are panicking and you need to talk to someone while taking your pooch to the veterinarian or you need immediate consultation regarding your dog, then contact the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center Hotline by dialing this number: 888.426.4435
The consultation fee is six dollars ($6)
Expect that the veterinarian may induce vomiting in case your dog has not vomited on their own yet. They might give animal-friendly activated charcoal instead to bind it to the nicotine.
If your dog is continuously drooling or throwing up, then the veterinarian might give them anti-nausea medications.
Another form of treatment would be administrating intravenous fluid to speed up the process of removing the nicotine from your beloved dog’s body and to aid in treating and blood pressure and hydration related issues.
Can vape juice kill dogs?
According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Animal Poison Control Center, cigarettes and nicotine are on their list of household products that are poisonous.
They warn pet owners that the e-juice used to recharge the device’s cartridges has enough nicotine to kill a dog!
There is a story that was published by the Huffington Post, where a pet owner, Keith Sutton, dropped the cartridge of e-juice on the floor. Unfortunately, Keith’s fourteen years old puppy ended consuming a bit of the juice.
Of course, Keith took his four-legged best friend to the Vet, but the puppy ended up dying because of the nicotine in the puppy’s stomach. If you want to read the full story, then make sure that you read the Huffington Post’s Dog Dies After Eating Electronic Cigarette Capsule story.
How to vape without harming your dog?
- Make sure that you store the e-liquids and the filled tanks/cartridges safely in places where your dog can’t reach them.
- If you must vape, then do that responsibly by stepping outside the house or any closed area when you want to vape. If you can’t do that, then the least that you could is vape in a room that your pooch is not in, as well as, does not spend much time in.
- Always charge your e-cig batteries and hid them in hard to reach places.
Other questions related to can vaping affect dogs?
Is it okay to vape around dogs?
The inhalation of exhaled vapor can cause cardiovascular problems, allergies, respiratory illnesses, and even cancers in dogs. Unfortunately, there are no current studies that can provide us with any concrete evidence that demonstrates how vaping around dogs can is actually very toxic for them.
That’s it for today’s post. You should now know that although e-cigarettes have lower risks compared to regular cigarettes, there is still a risk of your pooch to get an allergic reaction and even develop cardiovascular issues.
So if you want to vape, make sure that you do it outdoors and that you store your e-liquids and cartilages in places your beloved dog can’t reach because liquid nicotine poisoning would mean that they will need medical intervention.
My Sources
- Is Vaping Dangerous for Pets?
- E-CIGARETTES AND PETS DO NOT MIX
- Vapers and Pets — Safety Tips for Smokers and Vapers who Care about Their Pets
- VAPING AND PETS – HOW TO SAFELY VAPE AROUND YOUR PET
- Use of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) impairs indoor air quality and increases FeNO levels of e-cigarette consumers
