Can secondhand marijuana smoke worsen my dog's heart disease?
Updated On September 23rd, 2025
If my pomeranian with heart disease/heart failure is exposed to secondhand marijuana smoke, could this make his disease worse?
2 Answers
Most Helpful Answer
Published on November 27th, 2016
Dogs should never be exposed to secondhand marijunana smoke regardless of whether or not they have heart failure. Dogs have very sensitive lungs, and the smoke can damage them. Given that your dog already has heart failure, there will be damage to his lungs from fluid build up, and he should not be exposed to anything that could make his lungs more damaged.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Related Answers from Veterinarians
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Published on July 23rd, 2018
Second hand pot smoke is just as dangerous as marijuana ingestion with the added detrimental effect of smoke inhalation (just as with cigarette smoke). If a dog is exposed to heavy marijuana smoke he can suffer marijuana toxicity which can make the dog seriously ill requiring veterinary care. Signs would be lethargy, ataxia, tachycardia or bradycardia and possibly organ damage. Please do not expose Chance to marijuana smoke.
2Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Health & Wellbeing
What are the effects of second hand pot smoke healthy dogs?
Second hand pot smoke is just as dangerous as marijuana ingestion with the added detrimental effect of smoke inhalation (just as with cigarette smoke). If a dog is exposed to heavy marijuana smoke he can suffer marijuana toxicity which can make the dog seriously ill requiring veterinary care. Signs would be lethargy, ataxia, tachycardia or bradycardia and possibly organ damage. Please do not expose Chance to marijuana smoke.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
I am wondering if secondhand marijuana smoke is harmful to dogs. My boyfriend smokes pot inside of our apartment one to three times per day and my dog is often in the same room. He never blows the smoke directly at my dog. Recently I have asked him t
Of course it is harmful, dog's lungs are a lot smaller than ours so any smoke is dangerous to them especially when in a confined space. Repeated exposure to cannabis is also unlikely to be good for the dog's brain. I would get your boyfriend to smoke out the window if he must, or ask him to refrain completely in your home.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
Hello, I am really concerned, we have a 1.5 yrs old chihuahua and we have been smoking in the bathroom all his life. He never comes in he is never in the same room we smoke but I feel terrible. We stopped smoking in the house a couple of days ago bu
If he was not in the same room, then his risk of inhaling smoke is decreased. It is the same risk as a human child inhaling second-hand smoke. The best thing from here on out is to only smoke outside and don't have your dog in the same area when you smoke. If he seems to have an increased breathing rate or coughing, it is a good idea to have him examined by a vet.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
What is the signs of congestive heart failure or pulmonary problems in dogs? I suspect it in Tammy (she is rescued and plus minus 8 years and a mixed breed) . But i need to take her to the vet, but i first just what to confirm. She sometimes has reve
Signs of heart disease are coughing, exercise intolerance, difficulty breathing, fainting, swollen belly, etc. Not much can be done for heart disease from home aside from reducing stress and excessive exercise. Depending on the cause, heart disease is often managed with medication but is not cured. Your veterinarian will want to listen to her heart and potentially perform an EKG if they suspect heart disease. If you suspect that your other dog has heart disease, you should also have him/her examined by a veterinarian.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
I have a Labrador (Labradork) and she will be 13 in October. She's in good health aside from right hip arthritis. We live in WA State and are currently experiencing a health alert from heavy smokey air from fires burning in Canada. My question is wil
Hi and good question! The short answer to this is... yes! Smoke inhalation can also cause health problems for our pets as well. Like humans, dogs can experience compromised lung function due to exposure to smoke. Dogs that have underlying health issues such as COPD, heart disease, lung disease, or who are of the Brachycephalic breeds are more at risk. Please keep Holly away from the smoke!
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
My dog is a Yorkie and poodle mix and is 13 years old. He grew up in a house with on and off smokers. As of the last year he has had a constant cough, he literally coughs several times daily. I've looked into heart disease and other medical condition
It could be cancer. Dogs who live in a home of smokers are believed to have a higher chance of developing lung cancer. It could also be heart disease. You need to take Tobius into the vet for this. He needs blood work, a urinalysis, and chest x-ray. I'd take him into a vet in the morning.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
So my dad is a smoker.. im rather worried about my dogs health because of him. How do i minimize the damage of secondhand smoke? (I try to keep my dog out of smoke at all times)
Prevention is key: keeping Max out of the second hand smoke is the best thing you can do to prevent future problems. Pets can develop the same issues as children can, including bronchitis and asthma from being in second hand smoke. There is nothing else you can do to try to prevent him from becoming ill, unfortunately. Here is some more information you may find helpful: http://www.petmd.com/blogs/thedailyvet/dr-coates/2014/june/risks-second-hand-smoke-dogs-and-cats-31821
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
Hello there, I have a terrier senior dog, he is 15 and 8 month,he is suffering from heart failure, he uses several medicine like vetmedin 1.25mg , cordarone200mg 1 quarter morning and one quarter in the evening, upcard 0.75mg 1 in the morning and ha
Your dog has severe heart enlargement. For this reason, it is pressing his windpipe (trachea) upward and causing a narrowing which is the likely cause of his cough. Unfortunately, there's no way to prevent this. Ideally, you would keep him as quiet as possible and minimize his activity/stress. Your vet is correct, it doesn't look like he has pulmonary edema. You may want to consider medication to keep him more relaxed to prevent excessive coughing.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
My Pug was diagnosed with METASTATIC PULMONARY NEOPLASIA 6/27/17 and died on 7/8/15. Is this LUNG CANCER? He had no other problems prior to 4/27/15 when he began hacking. My neighbor was a chain smoker. I am a non smoker. My home filled up with s
I'm so sorry for the loss of your dog! You're right that metastatic pulmonary neoplasia is a medical term for lung cancer - but, the word "metastatic" means that it spread from elsewhere in the body, rather than originating in the lungs. This is unfortunately quite common, as many different types of cancer tend to spread to the lungs, so without more information there is no way to know where the cancer may have originated. But, it's unlikely that it had anything to do with secondhand smoke exposure, since this would be expected to cause a primary lung tumor - this is a different problem from metastatic lung cancer. Again, I'm very sorry for your loss.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
Can congestive heart failure actually be pneumonia in a dog?
Congestive heart failure and pneumonia can certainly have very similar symptoms in dogs - breathing hard, coughing, laying around more than normal, etc. Chest x-rays and blood work would normally help to determine which of these problems your dog has, as results of these tests would be different in congestive heart failure vs. pneumonia. If you have a more specific question about your dog's particular situation, feel free to post again - we would be happy to try and help.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
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