-Epidemiological studies of household dogs afford the opportunity to identify specific bladder carcinogens in insecticide products that are used on animals or in the environment, and to assess their potential adverse effects in humans.
-More recent studies have shown that dogs absorb and excrete the herbicide 2,4-D for several weeks after casual contact with treated lawns under natural conditions,* and such exposures are associated with an increased risk of malignant lymphoma.**
* Reynolds PM, Reif JS, et.al. Canine exposure to herbicide-treated lawns and urinary excretion of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid. Cancer Epid Biomark Prevent 3:233-37, 1994.
** Hayes HM, Tarone KP, et.al. Case-control study of canine malignant lymphoma: positive association with dog owner’s use of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid herbicides. J Natl Cancer Inst 83:1226-31, 1991.