VAPING AROUND PETS -SHOULD YOU BE CAUTIOUS?
Vaping around pets – should you be cautious? It is a fact that Nicotine is harmful when ingested in LARGE doses. We don’t think about Nicotine exposure when vaping around our pets. Our pets are much smaller than we are. This means that logically it would take much less nicotine to put them in danger than it would for an adult human. Regular cigarettes do not have enough nicotine to be considered dangerous for humans. But for your pets, most weighing under 25-50 pounds, that same amount could prove dangerous. And an entire bottle of e-liquid could be fatal.
FOR EXAMPLE:
The toxic dose of nicotine is 9.2 milligrams per kilogram. So if you had a dog weighing around 17kg (37lb), this would mean that 156mg of nicotine would be toxic. That’s the equivalent of approximately 9 milliliters of an 18mg e-liquid.
VAPING AROUND PETS – IS NICOTINE THE ONLY INGREDIENT HARMFUL TO PETS IN E-LIQUID?
In general, Nicotine is the only ingredient in e-liquid to pose risks to pets. Aside from Nicotine and food flavorings, the other main ingredients in e-liquid are PG and VG. Propylene Glycol and Vegetable Glycerin are widely used in food preparation, health and beauty products as well as in many pet foods. PG and VG are used as an inexpensive source of carbs in a variety of pet foods. Where the issue arises is with cats in particular.
Cats have a serious sensitivity to Vegetable Glycerin that other animals don’t have. Vegetable Glycerin has been known to cause a condition in cats called Heinz Body Anemia. Simply put, HBA is when the hemoglobin in the cat’s blood cells loses their natural structure. This causes the cells to lose their ability to oxygenate resulting in serious health issues.
VAPING AROUND PETS – BUT WHAT ABOUT SECOND HAND VAPOR?
Mention of VG sensitivity in cats brings us to another good question. It is harmful for a cat to ingest VG and is equally if not more harmful for any animal to ingest Nicotine. What about second hand vapor? Can the vapor we exhale be harmful to our pets?
With all kinds of misinformation out there surrounding vaping and is it safe, it’s difficult to weed out the right information from all the rest. An important thing to remember is that when it comes to these chemicals, they are only toxic in large doses. When you vape, you inhale a tiny amount of PG, VG and Nicotine. When you exhale, you aren’t expelling much of these substances. This is nowhere near the amount necessary to cause physical harm. Not to you, others or to pets. We never recommend exhaling in a person’s or a pet’s face. It’s rude and inconsiderate but won’t harm them.
HOW SHOULD I STORE MY E-LIQUID PROPERLY?
The best way to keep your pets and children safe from harm is to keep your bottles and supplies out of reach. This may be on a high shelf, in a drawer or in a cupboard. But regardless of where you decide to keep your e-liquid and supplies, make sure they are out of reach and closed properly. Check you lids when you put your bottles away. Make sure none of your cartridges or clearomizers with liquid in them are within reach or left out. These are all great ways to protect your family and pets from harm.
IN CONCLUSION
Humans and pets both can suffer from risks of over exposure to Nicotine. Although vaping is safer than smoking cigarettes. You need to put precautions into place to ensure the health and well being of all involved. Including our furry friends.
