They might cry and whine, but it’s best to keep our pets indoors for now, according to Dr. Evan Sandler, who has owned CNY Veterinary Medical Services with his wife for more than 10 years.

Evan said animals with preexisting conditions such as asthma, bronchitis or allergies are more likely to have respiratory issues from smoky air. But when the air quality index, or AQI, surpasses 150, even healthy people can be significantly impacted by long-term exposure, and the same, he said, goes for pets.

Dogs with smaller noses or short snouts are especially at risk.

“Anytime the AQI is over 100, if you have a breed of dog, that's what's called brachycephalicm with a really small nose, pugs, for example, they're absolutely going to be more at risk of having respiratory difficulties," Evan said.

Cats, he said, can be at an even higher risk due to their susceptibility to asthma.

“If you do have a cat that has polyps, which is inflammatory polyps, they occur within the throat area," Evan said. "That can also put them at increased respiratory risk. Those are typically cats that are known for having upper respiratory infections. They tend to get those pretty frequently if they do have polyps.”

But sometimes the effects of smoke on animals aren’t just respiratory.

“Don't be surprised if we see an increase in runny eyes, dry eyes," said Evan. "So it's not always just the respiratory system, but sometimes the eyes can dry out quite a bit as well. So simple over-the-counter artificial tears can help with that. And I wouldn't be surprised if we start seeing some dogs with some bloody noses as well.”

Evan said horses, cattle and other outdoor pets should be brought into a barn if possible. He recommends using air purifiers rather than fans and AC units that blow in air from outside.

If you have concerns about your pet, call a veterinarian.

Evan points out there are masks for dogs that are available, but again, he said not to spend a long time outside with your animal until this passes.