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Air quality alert issued for second day; veterinarian says particulates can impact pets, too

Smoke from Canadian wildfires has prompted another Code Orange day across the entire state.
Map: North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality
Smoke from Canadian wildfires has prompted another Code Orange day across the entire state.

Smoke and fine particle pollution from Canadian wildfires has prompted another Code Orange day across all of North Carolina.

Officials with the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality said that means there will be unhealthy air quality for sensitive groups, like older adults, younger children and those with respiratory conditions like asthma, and those people should limit prolonged or heavy exertion outdoors.

Dr. Dan Dombrowski is the Chief Veterinarian for the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences. He said that the particulates in the air can impact pets, too.

“They have to deal with it just like we do and their lungs and the way they breathe and their systems, for mammals are just like ours,” he said, “And, so, anything that's, you know, a problem for us is potentially a problem for them to.”

Dr. Dan Dombrowski is the Chief Veterinarian for the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences.
North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences
Dr. Dan Dombrowski is the Chief Veterinarian for the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences.

He recommends limiting their time outdoors and making sure they aren’t doing a lot of running and jumping until the air clears.

“Today's not a good day to run your dog around a lot outside,” Dombrowski said, “If you can kind of keep them inside, give them a day or two. Hopefully this will clear up before too long.”

He added that pets can have respiratory problems, too.

“A dog or a cat that's already got respiratory issues, like, feline asthma is relatively common or is a thing; dogs can have asthma, horses even, you know, not just pets. But even things like horses get respiratory issues as well. So, keeping an eye on them I think is really important,” Dombrowski said.

Annette is originally a Midwest gal, born and raised in Michigan, but with career stops in many surrounding states, the Pacific Northwest, and various parts of the southeast. An award-winning journalist and mother of four, Annette moved to eastern North Carolina in 2019 to be closer to family – in particular, her two young grandchildren. It’s possible that a -27 day with a -68 windchill in Minnesota may have also played a role in that decision. In her spare time, Annette does a lot of kiddo cuddling, reading, and producing the coolest Halloween costumes anyone has ever seen. She has also worked as a diversity and inclusion facilitator serving school districts and large corporations. It’s the people that make this beautiful area special, and she wants to share those stories that touch the hearts of others. If you have a story idea to share, please reach out by email to westona@cravencc.edu.