MOLINE -- Moline firefighters now have a new tool to help treat pets that have been exposed to smoke during a fire.

A local veterinarian, Dr. John Weigandt, of River Bend Animal Clinic in Moline, donated two sets of oxygen masks that are designed specifically to fit pets.

Lt. John O'Neill said he has been taking his dogs to River Bend for 27 years and recently it came up in conversation with Dr. Wygiant about how firefighters treat pets after a fire. Lt. O'Neill explained that it is difficult.

Typically firefighters use the largest adult oxygen mask and try to make it work on pets to treat them after smoke inhalation, Lt. O'Neill said.

"That was as good as you could get, so they weren't getting 100 percent," said Chief Rick Jewell.

The equipment doesn't adapt well, Lt. O'Neill said.

"We do people, we're not that familiar with animals," he said.

But several times every year, the fire department rescues pets from burning homes. Smoke inhalation can affect pets the same way it does humans, Lt. O'Neill said. Heat and particulate matter in the smoke can damage the airways and lung tissue. It can be fatal.

"Everybody has pets, it seems," Chief Jewell said, adding that pets are an important member of many families, especially among older people and "empty nesters." "Anymore, people treat their pets almost like kids."

He remembered a fire recently where the fire department rescued a Husky that had had a lot of smoke inhalation.

"The people were just so happy," he said.

An estimated 60 million U.S. households have pets. It is unclear how many die in house fires.

The masks come in three different sizes to fit different size animals. Chief Jewell said they are designed to work on any pet with a snout. The masks have a rubber ring that creates a seal so pure oxygen into the pet's nose. They were originally designed for use by veterinarians.

"It looks a lot like an adult breather," Chief Jewell said.

The fire department has two sets of masks -- one for each ambulance. They are fairly simply to use. The firefighter just has to put the mask over the snout. The masks are hooked to an oxygen tank that pumps the pure oxygen.

"Even if we revive them, they are going to need a lot of follow up care," Lt. O'Neill said.

The masks cost about $60 per set of three.

"We had talked about getting these a couple of years ago, but they were so expensive I couldn’t justify it," Chief Jewell said, adding that the department was grateful for the donation.

Staff writer Amy Rausch can be reached at (309) 786-6441, Ext. 208.