engleski

Nicotine concentration in the blood of dogs from smoking households - an explorative study

In recent years, studies have shown that tobacco and second-hand tobacco smoking are not only dangerous for humans, but also for pets that live in tobacco smoking households. Results from the literature confirm that exposure to tobacco smoke is correlated with the incidence of certain cancers in dogs and cats, the incidence of allergic reactions in dogs, and as well, the incidence of diseases of the eyes, skin and of respiratory system in birds. The presence of nicotine in body fluids clearly indicates exposure to nicotine in smokers, but also in individuals (people or animals) exposed to second-hand smoke. In this study, we tested 21 dogs (seven in each group) and we recorded measurable concentrations of nicotine in serum of dogs living in smoking households. Nicotine concentration was dependent on the amount of cigarettes smoked in a household where the dog lived 24 hours before blood sampling. The serum nicotine concentration in dogs from households in which people smoked more than 20 cigarettes a day was almost three times greater (0.142 ± 0.067 mg/L) than that in dogs from households in which people smoke around one pack of cigarettes (0.05 ± 0.05 mg/L). The results showed that pets exposed to tobacco smoke, especially in households where owners smoke more than one pack of cigarettes a day can be categorised as passive smokers.

passive smoking ; dogs ; nicotine concentration ; serum

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