Electronic Cigarette & Vape Liquid Exposure in Dogs

In the Literature

Bates N, Towner H, Edwards JN. Electronic cigarette or e-liquid (vape liquid) exposure in dogs: 321 cases (2011-2024). J Small Anim Pract. 2026;67(1):39-46. doi:10.1111/jsap.70014

The Research …

Exposure to electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) and vape liquid is becoming increasingly common in dogs as these products become more prevalent in homes. Vape liquids contain different concentrations of nicotine and are often flavored, which can attract animals to chew the cartridges. Although vape liquids consist of a variety of chemicals, nicotine toxicosis is considered most concerning because of its rapid-onset cardiovascular, neurologic, and GI effects.¹

This retrospective study evaluated dogs (n = 321) with e-cigarette or vape liquid exposure reported to the UK Veterinary Poisons Information Service over a 13-year period. Oral/buccal exposure accounted for almost all cases (98.8%), and about half (53%) exhibited no clinical signs. Most clinical signs were mild when reported, with vomiting (23.1%), hypersalivation (13.1%), and tachycardia (9.0%) being most common. Severe signs (eg, tremors, collapse, seizures, hypotension, arrhythmias) were uncommon. One dog was euthanized due to owner financial constraints, and 1 dog died 3.5 hours after exposure. Median recovery time for affected dogs that recovered was 3 hours.

Severity of clinical signs did not correlate with the dose of nicotine reported, likely due to difficulty estimating the true absorbed dose, as dogs often swallow foreign material quickly rather than retaining it in the mouth, nicotine undergoes high hepatic first-pass metabolism and has low absorption in the stomach, and vomiting may further limit absorption.

… The Takeaways

Key pearls to put into practice:

• Understanding the extent of exposure is important. A pet owner statement of, “My dog got into an e-cig,” can have a variety of meanings (eg, licking spilled vape liquid, chewing a nicotine pod, swallowing a disposable vape, ingesting a refill cartridge). Although nicotine toxicosis is often the immediate concern, whole-device ingestion introduces foreign body and lithium battery risks that may significantly affect management choices.

• This study suggests the reported dose does not reliably predict severity of signs. Owner estimations of volume consumed are often inaccurate, and nicotine absorption is highly variable. A bright dog showing no clinical signs shortly after a questionable exposure should be managed differently than a dog with tremors, tachycardia, collapse, and/or respiratory abnormalities.

• Clinical signs of toxicosis are usually seen within the first few hours of exposure. Common early signs include vomiting, hypersalivation, agitation, tremors, and tachycardia. Progressive weakness, collapse, bradycardia, seizures, or respiratory compromise should prompt urgent escalation in treatment.

• Decontamination is not required with every case of exposure and may not have significant effect on outcome given the rapid absorption and poor oral bioavailability of nicotine. A patient with no clinical signs after recent exposure may benefit from decontamination, but inducing emesis in a patient with clinical signs may have more risks than benefits.

• Owners should be encouraged to bring the product, the packaging, or a photo of the label to the clinic because nicotine concentrations differ greatly and labeling may be unreliable.