A CAMPAIGN has been launched urging smokers to stop lighting up around their pets – because the toxic fumes could kill or harm them. Second-hand smoke has been long been linked to potentially fatal diseases in humans, including lung cancer and heart disease. However, the charity PDSA says the impact of passive smoking on pets is just as serious – and just as avoidable. Vet Olivia Anderson-Nathan said: “Many pet owners are unaware of the risks that smoking can have on their pets’ health. If they knew, I’m sure they would want to protect them. “Our vets and nurses regularly see the devastating impact smoking can have on pets. Problems range from issues like asthma and chronic coughing through to fatal conditions. Cancers such as lymphoma, for example, are twice as likely in cats exposed to cigarette smoke." She added: “Recent studies highlight that this is a really serious issue, and we want pet owners to know that they can make a real difference by simply choosing to smoke outdoors away from their pets." Different pets are affected in different ways by the effects of passive smoking. Dogs are prone to smoking-related breathing problems and there are links between smoke and difficult-to-treat nasal and sinus cancers in longer nosed dogs. In cats, their grooming habits mean that smoke lands on their fur and as they groom they lick off the cancer-causing chemicals, which can be a factor in the development of mouth cancers. Cigarette smoke can also be harmful to pet birds and small pets (such as rabbits and guinea pigs), as they have very sensitive respiratory systems.