Is the wildfire smoke bad for dogs in N.J.?

Dog walker Joe Gallo valiantly soldiers on through smoke and haze from the Canadian wildfires at the Garrett Mountain Reservation in Woodland Park on Wednesday morning, June 7, 2023. Steve Hockstein | For NJ Advance MediaSteve Hockstein | For NJ Advance

Fetch can wait. Look for a change in behavior. When in doubt, stay inside.

Like people in New Jersey, the milky haze and smoky conditions — signs of bad air quality from Canadian wildfires — are likely to take a toll on our dogs, cats and other pets if there's heavy exposure, according to experts.

And there's plenty pet owners can do to protect them.

As of Wednesday afternoon, an air quality alert remained in place statewide — with some residents throughout New Jersey reporting thick air, less visibility and a faint orange tinge to the sky since Tuesday.

National Weather Service forecasters expect "an additional plume of thick smoke should spread south into the area later this afternoon and evening." Residents, according to state officials, are advised to stay inside and limit outdoor activities.

The same goes for pets.

"If people are being affected by the air quality, our animals are going to be experiencing similar things," said Rena Carlson, a veterinarian and president-elect of the American Veterinary Medical Association. "Animals have such a keen sense of smell and a much more developed olfactory system, so we could expect maybe they would have even worse effects than a person."

Carlson said dog owners should avoid taking their pets outdoors but if they must, wait for the air to clear up and keep walks brief.

"If things are reasonable," she said, "go ahead and go outside for a few minutes to do their job and get back in."

Signs that your pet is experiencing negative health impacts, according to experts from the nonprofit:

READ MORE: N.J. smoke misery meter hits red ‘unhealthy’ stage with air quality plummeting

Experts with the American Veterinary Medical Association said a veterinarian should be contacted if pets are experiencing any of the above reactions to the smoke. Besides comforting your pet to lower their heart rate, it can help to provide them fresh water in the interim.

Birds in particular, the nonprofit said, are susceptible to smoke and particulate matter because of how their respiratory systems process air.

Particle pollution originates from any sort of combustion, be it a diesel engine or wildfire. Heavy exposure to fine particulates can mean devastating health effects like strokes and lung cancer, according to the American Lung Association.

"It's important to really be aware of normal behaviors (in your pets), because oftentimes pets can hide their problems really well," said Carlson. "If they’re showing signs, they may be even worse than what we think."

Nonprofit American Kennel Club also says if at home, keep pets inside as much as possible, keep your windows shut and keep an evacuation kit ready just in case. The organization provides the following indoor activities to keep dogs — who may be used to going outside — active until the air improves likely by the weekend.

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Steven Rodas may be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @stevenrodasnj.

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