How To Tell If Your Dog Or Cat Has Inhaled Too Much Wildfire Smoke
Wildfire season can be stressful enough without wondering whether your four-legged family member is secretly struggling to breathe. Unfortunately, dogs and cats do not come with a little dashboard light that flashes CHECK AIR QUALITY when things get smoky. Instead, pet parents have to pay attention to changes in breathing, behavior, and overall health.
Wildfire smoke can irritate a pet's eyes, nose, throat, and lungs. Smoke can also contain dangerous substances such as carbon monoxide and other chemicals, depending on what is burning. Pets exposed to heavy smoke can develop respiratory problems, and some complications may become more serious over the following 48 to 72 hours.
So, how do you know if your pet has had too much smoke exposure? Here are some signs to watch for.
1. Listen for Coughing, Gagging, or Wheezing
One of the first things you may notice after smoke exposure is coughing or gagging. Your dog might suddenly sound like they swallowed a squeaky toy, while your cat may start coughing or breathing noisily.
Wheezing, repeated coughing, or obvious difficulty breathing should not be brushed off as your pet simply being irritated by the smoky air. Smoke can inflame and irritate the respiratory tract, making it harder for your pet to breathe comfortably.
2. Pay Attention to Their Breathing
Watch your pet while they are resting. Are they breathing much faster than usual? Are they working harder to breathe? Are they stretching their neck out or using their belly noticeably when breathing?
A consistently elevated resting breathing rate can be a warning sign. VCA notes that a resting or sleeping respiratory rate consistently above about 30 breaths per minute is considered increased for many dogs and cats, although your veterinarian can tell you what is normal for your individual pet.
And here's an important cat rule: open-mouth breathing in a cat is an emergency. Cats normally breathe through their noses, so if your cat is panting or breathing with its mouth open, seek veterinary care immediately.
3. Check Their Eyes and Nose
Wildfire smoke doesn't just bother the lungs. It can also make your pet's eyes and nasal passages miserable.
Look for:
Red or irritated eyes
Excessive tearing
Squinting
Nasal discharge
Irritation around the nose
Blisters or burns around the nostrils or muzzle
Your pet may look like they just spent an afternoon at a campfire without realizing that campfires are supposed to be several hundred feet away. Smoke irritation can be uncomfortable and, in heavier exposures, can cause actual injury.
4. Watch for Weakness or Strange Behavior
Sometimes the biggest clue isn't coughing—it's that your normally energetic pet suddenly seems completely wiped out.
Weakness, unusual tiredness, stumbling, confusion, vomiting, excessive drooling, or collapse can be signs of a more serious smoke exposure. Carbon monoxide and other substances produced by fires can interfere with oxygen delivery to the body's tissues. Neurologic signs such as poor coordination or seizures can occur with severe exposure.
If your dog suddenly looks like they have forgotten how legs work, don't wait around hoping they will reboot themselves. Call a veterinarian immediately.
5. Don't Forget About Appetite and Thirst
A pet who has been exposed to significant smoke may not feel like eating or drinking normally. Reduced appetite or thirst can accompany respiratory irritation and other signs of illness.
One skipped meal doesn't automatically mean your pet has smoke inhalation. But if decreased appetite occurs along with coughing, breathing changes, weakness, or other symptoms after wildfire exposure, it's a good reason to contact your veterinarian.
When Is It an Emergency?
Some symptoms mean it is time to stop Googling and start heading to the veterinary hospital.
Seek emergency veterinary care if your pet has:
Difficulty breathing
Labored or very rapid breathing
Open-mouth breathing, especially in a cat
Pale, blue, gray, or otherwise abnormal gums
Severe weakness or collapse
Stumbling or disorientation
Seizures
Significant or repeated coughing accompanied by breathing difficulty
Difficulty breathing is considered a potentially life-threatening emergency in pets.
If you suspect significant smoke inhalation, get your pet into clean air and contact a veterinarian or emergency veterinary hospital for guidance. Do not assume that a pet who initially seems okay is automatically in the clear. Smoke-related lung injuries can worsen after the original exposure.
The Best Treatment Is Prevention
The easiest way to deal with wildfire smoke is to keep your pets from breathing it in whenever possible.
When outdoor air quality is poor, keep dogs and cats indoors, close windows and doors, and avoid unnecessary outdoor activity. Bathroom breaks should be short, and long walks, backyard adventures, and outdoor playtime can wait until the air improves.
An air purifier with a HEPA filter can also help improve indoor air quality. Pets with existing respiratory or cardiovascular problems, as well as short-nosed breeds, may be especially vulnerable to smoke and poor air quality.
And remember: your dog may desperately believe that this is the perfect time for a three-mile walk, and your cat may believe the backyard is calling their name. Unfortunately, neither one gets to make the air-quality decisions during wildfire season.
Keep an Eye on Your Furry Smoke Detector
Wildfire smoke can affect pets just as seriously as it can affect people. The key is knowing what is normal for your dog or cat and noticing when something changes.
Coughing, breathing difficulty, eye irritation, weakness, unusual behavior, and other symptoms following heavy smoke exposure deserve attention. When breathing becomes difficult, treat it as an emergency.
Your pet may not understand why you're keeping them inside while the sky looks smoky and weird, but they will probably forgive you eventually—especially if treats are involved.
