Smoking/secondhand smoke is MUCH worse for small animals than it is for
us-birds, cats, ferrets, etc.  We tell all of our clients at the vet
where I work part-time that smoking is even worse for their pet than for
them-they have much smaller lungs to deal with it, among other things.
 
Reader's Digest just published a stat from the "American Journal of
Epidemiology" that showed that cats living with a smoker are TWICE as
likely to develop lymphoma (kind of cancer) than those living smoke-free,
and the number rises to FOUR times as likely when living with two
smokers.  (Paraphrasing:) Fireplace smoke may also affect them,
particularly with animals that spend most or all of their time indoors.
Grooming animals are also at greater risk b/c they can ingest particles
of soot, etc.  that end up on their fur.
 
Brushing, bathing and keeping pets out of smoky rooms can at least help
the pets of those pet owners that insist on toking up, but quitting the
practice of smoking indoors in the same facility as your pets and
children is really the best thing.
 
-April AC
[Posted in FML issue 3960]