Pets and air quality: Tips to keep your animals safe, healthy

By Ryan Hughes

June 7, 2023 / 5:20 PM / CBS Philadelphia

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Doctors are warning everyone to limit your time outdoors with air quality alerts across our area, but what about your animals?

Here are some tips from a local veterinarian to help protect your pets.

Outside the Mount Laurel Animal Hospital, goats, pigs and Texas Longhorn cows sit in the grass and appear to be unfazed by the smoke and haze around them. But the animals are being monitored with the ongoing air quality alert.

RELATED: Canadian wildfire smoke prompt air quality alerts across Philadelphia area. Here are maps of the impact

Veterinarians say, in these conditions, you should treat your pets just as you would yourself.

"They can definitely have respiratory issues and heart issues, just like people," said Dr. Justine Murray.

Dr. Murray said dogs and cats with pre-existing conditions could be at higher risk.

With the haze hanging over South Jersey, Murray said only take your pets outside for necessary bathroom breaks. You should also avoid long runs at the dog park and try to keep walks short -- no more than 10 minutes.

"Anybody with cardiovascular or respiratory disease, they can have effects from the particles that are floating around, so it's just better to keep them inside to prevent them from having any issues," Dr. Murray said.

ALSO SEE: What does "Code Red" air quality mean? Health effects of wildfire smoke and how to protect yourself

"The air quality is not good right now for anybody, especially older dogs," said Bev Ruggieri.

Normally, 11-year-old Molly loves to run and play outside, but for the time being, her owners aren't taking the chance and they've decided to keep her mostly inside.

"She's a senior citizen, so definitely, she needs to stay inside more because you can see how out of breath she is right now," Ruggieri said.

Dr. Murray said if you notice your pet having trouble breathing, wheezing, or gaging bring them to your veterinarian right away.

Ryan Hughes joined CBS3 Eyewitness News in June 2022. He previously worked at WPTV in West Palm Beach, Florida, where he's covered stories ranging from weeks on the Surfside condo collapse, to the impact of Hurricane Dorian in the Bahamas, and the Super Bowl in Miami.

First published on June 7, 2023 / 5:20 PM

© 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.