Should You Worry About Wildfire Smoke Around Your Pets?
Living out west, where the climate tends to be dry, means learning to live with wildfires. Though in San Diego, we’re not exactly facing the same fire risks as some other areas of the country, we still do need to be mindful of lightning strikes and air quality. Because smoke in the air can harm us, and our pets.
It’s not just cats and dogs, either. Animals of all kinds — horses, cows, you name it — can suffer negative health effects from breathing smoky air. And since wildfires are seemingly becoming more common, and smoky air is becoming a fixture in many areas, we thought it’d be worthwhile to quickly discuss some of the health ramifications for pets of breathing in wildfire smoke, and how to treat any signs of respiratory or cardiovascular distress that may be related to it.
Wildfire Smoke and Pets: What to Watch For
If you do find that it’s a particularly smoky day in San Diego, or maybe you’ve heard that there’s a wildfire nearby, you may want to keep an eye on your pet for any signs that the smoke is getting to them — even if you, yourself aren’t necessarily noticing any smoke in the air.
It’s especially important to make note of prevailing conditions and air quality if you have a pet that has a respiratory illness, disease, or condition. The same goes for cardiovascular problems, too. Smoke can exacerbate a pet’s health problems, and you’ll want to keep an eye out for any of these signs of distress, as laid out by the American Veterinary Medical Association:
Coughing, difficulty breathing
Eye irritation
Mouth or throat swelling or inflammation
Nasal discharge
Heavy breathing
Fatigue
Reduced appetite
Disorientation
Naturally, if you notice any of these signs or symptoms in your pets, do what you can to move them to another area. That may mean bringing them inside in the air conditioning, or maybe even putting them in a room with an air purifier — whatever you can do. If they’re in clear distress, don’t hesitate — call your veterinarian as soon as possible.
Protect Pets From Wildfire Smoke
While you may not be able to do anything about prevailing air quality conditions, you should know what to do if it’s smoky outside and you need to protect yourself, and your pets, from the bad air. The most obvious move you can make is to keep your pets inside, and make sure that your doors and windows are shut.
Easy peasy, right? Maybe, until they want to go out for a bathroom break, or lay in the grass, or play. Unfortunately, you may need to cut their walks short, or let them do their business, and usher them back inside fairly quickly until the air quality improves. The point is to limit their exposure to smoky air as much as possible.
Further, try not to get your pets riled up — if they get the zoomies, they’re going to be breathing harder, which means more smoke and particles could get into their lungs. So, do your best to take it easy.
Additionally, if you have air conditioning or an air purifier, run them. They should help clean and purify the air, and keep everyone comfortable. If you don’t have central air, consider getting a portable air conditioner or purifier, and keeping it on in a single room in your home, where you can hang out with your pets.
And again, if you feel that your pet is in any type of distress due to smoke inhalation, don’t hesitate to give us a call!
Contact us to make an appointment today!
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