Buying quality dog food could help your canine stay fit and healthy, but any of the benefits gleaned from this premium tuck could be undone if the owner in question is a habitual smoker.
Surrey-based animal care organisation the Arthur Lodge Veterinary Group is calling on pooch owners to avoid smoking in the presence of their four-legged friends.
While too much smoking can lead to cancer, the same is true when it comes to our pets.
Though smoke inhalation is one issue, pet owners are also being warned that dogs can often chew discarded cigarette butts, which contain various harmful toxins.
And it's not just dogs that are under threat either, with the veterinary group explaining that any pet that licks its fur to groom itself could be at risk.
This is because when an owner smokes a cigarette in the presence of their beloved pet, nicotine and tar residue can build up on the fur of the animal, which they then lick.
Arthur Lodge representative Julian Peters said: "I would urge all owners to keep on top of health checks for pets if they are exposed to smoke inhalations."
The calls come months after the NHS launched a brand-new anti-smoking campaign designed to reduce the number of smokers in the UK.
