Toxicity to pets

Smoke is a mixture of super-heated gases and particles. Inhalation of smoke during a house fire injures animals in multiple ways: burning the respiratory tract (i.e., heat), impeding cellular respiration (e.g., carbon monoxide, hydrogen cyanide), and blocking the lower airways (i.e., soot). Clinical signs of pets following smoke inhalation include: respiratory signs (e.g., gasping, cough, bloody or black sputum, grey or brown gum color, respiratory failure), neurological signs (e.g., stumbling gait, seizure, collapse), cardiovascular signs (e.g. low blood pressure, shock), and death.