BOZEMAN, Mont. – When there’s smoke in the air, most people notice a difference in their breathing. But what about animals?
Just as Montanans have trouble breathing in smoky, summer air, it’s no exception for our furry friends. They also have a hard time breathing in the smoke.
According to Veterinarian Megan Thompson, “It affects animals really similarly. The big difference is that because they are stoic they hide their signs. They don’t show us a lot, so respiratory stuff is a pretty subtle disease and so being very cognoscente and watching your pets closely is important.”
During fire season, pet owners should keep an eye out for certain symptoms.
“Coughing, sneezing, increased respiratory rate, so they’re breathing really quickly, breathing and not being able to get back to a resting heart rate normally,” Thompson said. “We also have some pets that have underlying disease that the smoke makes way worse and so their symptoms get way worse, coughing, difficulty breathing, hard time catching their breath.”
Doctor Thompson suggests cutting back on your time outside with your pet can be helpful for their breathing. Shortening that walk or hike can make the difference.
“If they’re an otherwise healthy animal and there’s no air advisories out, then I would just kind of watch them really close and make sure they’re not having any difficulty breathing. If we as people are having a difficulty breathing or smelling smoke then it’s probably too much for them too,” Thompson said.
If your pet is experiencing the symptoms severely, checking in with your vet is a good idea.
