Are Chlorine Products in Pools an Increased Risk for Bladder Cancer in Dogs?

Chemicals in our dogs’ environment can not only lead to poisoning but may also pose long-term risks.

Veterinarians at the University of Madison (Wisconsin, USA) investigated the effects of various carcinogenic chemicals on dogs, including chlorine products.

They found that dogs with bladder cancer swam in a chlorinated pool more often than healthy dogs.
They also found that the concentration of chlorine by-products in tap water was four times higher in dogs with bladder cancer than in the regions (postal code areas) where healthy dogs lived.
One conclusion would be to restrict dogs’ access to chlorinated pools and, in the case of heavily chlorinated tap water, possibly use a water filter to remove chlorine by-products from the drinking water.

Source:
Braman SL, Peterson H, Elbe A, et al. Urinary and household chemical exposures in pet dogs with urothelial cell carcinoma. Vet Comp Oncol. 2024; 1‐13.
Veterinary and Comparative Oncology is an American veterinary medical journal that deals with the development, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of cancer in pets.