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My dog keeps eating cigarette butts. How can I stop this toxic habit?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Small (up to 22lb) | Female | unspayed | 5 lbs

Snickers is my dog that my late husband and I took in after a friend got sick and never came back, then, my husband passed. Snickers has always had some odd habits, but this one, well, is different. She like to chew on cigarette butts, so of course she gets all strange after. Is there something I can do to try and stop this habit of hers? It's bad for her, I know, but how much damage has it already caused? Apparently she's done this for quite some time before I took her in.

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

Veterinarian

Published on January 15th, 2020

Do not allow Snickers any access to cigarette butts. Nicotine is toxic to dogs. If you smoke, throw them away when you are done in a can that has a lid on it and put it up out of her reach. When on walks, steer her away from discarded butts.

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