It seems that every year we read about a large wildfire affecting thousands of people. Recently, the Central Canada Wildfires have forced 10,000 residents (at the time of this writing) to evacuate their homes in Quebec. They've also brought so much smoke to both Canada and the United States, with people along the east coast having to stay inside for their health.

The exposure to smoke can cause harm to both humans and pets. If our pets have inhaled too much smoke, they may experience:

• Coughing
• Difficulty breathing or wheezing
• Eye irritation or excessive tears
• Mouth and throat inflammation
• Weakness
• Disorientation
• Reduced appetite or Thirst
• Fatigue

So what can you do to protect your pets? According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, you can:

• Keep pets inside as much as possible, and close windows to prevent air from entering.
• While air quality alerts are in effect, only let your pets outside to use the bathroom.
• Avoid outdoor exercise until the smoke and dust have settled.
• Learn about the signs that your pet may have inhaled smoke and consult a veterinarian if your fur-kid has them.
• Create an evacuation plan.

For information on evacuating pets during a fire, head to our Pet Fire Safety 101 blog.

For what you should pack in an emergency bag and where you can go, head to our Animal Disaster Preparedness blog.

For ideas on what you can do with your pets indoors, head to our Activities to Keep Your Dogs Entertained blog.