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My dog ate cigarettes. What symptoms of nicotine poisoning should I watch for?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed | Female | spayed

My dog broke apart 2 cigarettes but it doesn't look like she ate a lot. What should I be watching for? Should I get her checked?

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

Veterinarian

Published on June 30th, 2016

Good on you for reaching out for help and information! The toxic level of nicotine in dogs is 5 milligrams of nicotine per pound of body weight. In dogs, 10 mg/kg is potentially lethal. One cigarette contains 15 to 25 milligrams of nicotine depending on the brand. So two cigarettes would contain 30-50mg of nicotine. That means if your dog weighs 30kg (66lbs), she would have potentially consumed 1mg/kg to 1.67mg/kg. If she weighs 5kg (11lbs), she would have potentially consumed 6mg/kg-10mg/kg (potentially lethal dose). I'm not sure how much your dog weighs, but if she is a larger dog (over 50lbs), she likely did not consume enough to be toxic. The signs of toxicity are dose-dependent and generally begin within one hour of ingestion. Many dogs will vomit naturally after ingestion. I would monitor her for now. Watch out for tremors, weakness, stumbling, lethargy, drooling, vomiting, diarrhea, or difficulty breathing. If you see any of these signs, get Kai into your vet right away.

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    Answered By Andrea M. Brodie, DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on

    If she ate the tobacco within the past to hours then I would take her to the vet or a Pet ER to have them induce vomiting. Tobacco is very toxic and since I do not know what weight your dog is, I have to assume it is a small dog. Please take her to a pet ER if you notice the following: Vomiting Abnormal heart rate Abnormal respiratory rate Overstimulation Incoordination Agitation Tremors Seizures Inappropriate urination/defecation Paralysis Collapse

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