Can Dogs Get High From Secondhand Smoke?

Secondhand smoke is known for being dangerous. In fact, it’s considered to be more harmful than firsthand smoke since it isn’t filtered. At least, this holds for tobacco smoke. Smoking tobacco is a fairly common recreation. People do it for all kinds of reasons. And now, marijuana is entering the mainstream as well. This recreational drug has been the subject of many debates over the years. Getting high off of marijuana is fun and harmless, but can dogs get high from secondhand smoke? Just like tobacco, marijuana produces secondhand smoke. It has a distinct smell to it, and it lingers around for a while. Is secondhand smoke from marijuana just as bad as tobacco smoke? Let’s find out.

Why is Secondhand Smoke Bad?

Secondhand smoke is the smoke that gets released in the air when someone smokes. It’s more dangerous than firsthand smoke because it usually hasn’t passed through a filter. Also, people who inhale this smoke do so without consent. Unlike smokers who know that their actions are harming their bodies, secondhand smokers are innocent bystanders who get caught up in the blast wave.

Secondhand smoke is far less concentrated than firsthand smoke. However, if one gets exposed to it frequently, they are going to face health problems. ​Smoke is known for causing lung cancer, breathing problems, and eye irritations. The same symptoms have been observed in animals as well.

Animals have much more sensitive breathing systems. Cats and dogs have shown adverse symptoms caused by secondhand smoke. This study conducted in 2002 revealed that cats living in smoke-filled homes had developed a much higher chance of becoming diseased. The same holds for dogs. Regular doses of ​smoke for a few months can significantly ruin your dog’s quality of life. They become susceptible to respiratory problems, eye infections, and even cancer.

Marijuana smoke doesn’t carry as many harmful elements as tobacco smoke. However, it is still smoke, smoke that your pet may breathe in. An animal’s sensitive breathing tract will react adversely to smoke of any kind.

Can a Dog Get High From Marijuana?

Before we take a look at the effects of secondhand smoke, let’ figure out whether dogs can get high at all. Marijuana seems to have similar effects on dogs as it does on humans. However, since they have a significantly lower body mass, they experience these symptoms with greater intensity. A dog may get high from marijuana through direct ingestion and also through ​smoke. Provided that they get a significantly heavy dose of secondhand smoke.

Now, you might think that a high pooch would be funny and cute. But unfortunately, marijuana can be dangerous for your dog in higher doses. Dogs that are high on weed become lethargic and restless. They exhibit signs of being paranoid, have a hard time maintaining their balance and also experience incontinence. The most alarming side effects of marijuana on a dog include breathing problems, a drop in blood pressure, and heart palpitations. These symptoms could result in your dog’s death.

Symptoms of Marijuana Ingestion

• Loss of balance
• Restlessness and paranoia
• Difficulty in controlling bowel movement
• Low blood pressure
• Breathing difficulty
• Heart palpitations
• Seizures
• Dilated pupils

Some people argue that as long as you make sure your dog doesn’t get over-exposed to marijuana, then they should be fine. In fact, some people go as far as saying that marijuana is good for your pooch’s health. Unfortunately, there isn’t any scientific evidence to refute this claim. Not many researchers have felt like getting dogs high and then observing their reactions.

Basically, we don’t have enough data to clearly state whether marijuana is good or bad for your dog. It’s always better to be safe than sorry and keep your pooch away from weed. Direct ingestion should be absolutely avoided. But what about secondhand smoke?

The answer to this question depends on two things; the size of your dog and the amount of smoke. ​Smoke from weed isn’t as potent as what you’d inhale directly from a bong. Theoretically speaking, you’d have to keep your dog in a smoke box for a while to get them high on ​secondhand smoke alone.

If your room isn’t ventilated enough, then you’re going to have problems. Smoke will linger in the air and even settle down on surfaces. This will irritate your dog’s lungs, eyes, and generally ruin their day. Frequent exposure to smoke like this will end up producing more serious problems as well.

The size of your pooch plays a role in determining whether secondhand smoke will get them high. A dog with a smaller body mass will need to inhale lesser smoke to get high. If you own a small pooch or a pup, then you’re going to need to be very careful about ​smoke. Even a few puffs of ​smoke may be bad for a puppy. Larger dogs need a higher dose of smoke before they begin showing symptoms of being high.

Regardless of whether your dog is big or small, or whether your room is well ventilated or not, you should make an effort to minimize your pet’s exposure to secondhand smoke. It’s bad for their physical health. Animals generally have a lower tolerance towards smoke. Getting high around your pooch is going to cause trouble for them. Long term exposure to ​smoke can cut down their life expectancy. So be a responsible pet owner and light up your joints near a window. Alternatively, you can make sure that you smoke in a room where your dog isn’t allowed to come in.