New research among Scottish terriers shows that the animals can become very ill from cigarette smoke. For example, scientists already knew from previous research that Scottish terriers are very susceptible to developing various forms of cancer due to their genes. It now appears that Scottish terriers who frequently inhale cigarette smoke are at a much greater risk of developing bladder cancer.
When you inhale cigarette smoke, it ultimately ends up in your urine. Because Scottish terriers have a much greater risk of developing cancer due to their genes, the bladder in particular is the place where aggressive forms of cancer can emerge. Scientist Deborah Knapp contributed to the research. She says: “Cancer is the result of the combination of what you are born with, your genes, and what you are exposed to, your environment. For this study, we examined these dogs for years and looked at the biggest differences between the dogs that developed cancer and the dogs that did not.” What ultimately stood out was that dogs owned by people who smoked regularly were up to six times more likely to die prematurely from bladder cancer. The research has been published in the journal Veterinary Journal.
Cotinine
For the study, the team examined 120 Scottish terriers. The main goal was to find out how bladder cancer can be prevented and to better understand cancer in general. Ultimately, the scientists often found cotinine in the urine of dogs with smoking owners. Cotinine is a substance also found in tobacco, which allows scientists to show that the dog has been exposed to cigarette smoke. What the researchers noticed, however, was that not all dogs with cotinine in their urine actually had a smoking owner. Knapp has an explanation for this: “If someone has been to a concert or party where people have smoked, it is possible that the dog is exposed to this because these particles (cotinine, ed.) become stuck in the owner’s clothing.”
Smoking behavior
The research also indicates that the results still have quite a bit of nuance. For example, not all dogs with smoking owners ultimately developed bladder cancer, and there were also dogs that got bladder cancer without having smoking owners. This is the same for people: half of all cases of bladder cancer are caused by smoking behavior, but not all smokers eventually develop bladder cancer. The research therefore gives scientists the opportunity to learn more about how the combination of genes and environment can ultimately lead to cancer formation. Knapp concludes: “What we especially hope is that dog owners realize that they can take better care of their pets by keeping them away from cigarette smoke.” For example, it is better to smoke outside and put on clean clothes afterwards.
2024-01-15 18:05:45
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