Objectives

Canine mammary tumor has been used as a model for human breast cancer in several clinical trials. Influenced factors of the tumor include steroid receptors and Growth hormone. Dietary, one of associated factors, has been suggested that might be of etiologic importance in canine mammary tumor but still has insufficient information. Present study aimed to specifically investigate the relation of dietary types frequently fed to dogs with and without mammary tumor.

Materials & Methods

The study was organized during 2001-2002 in Bangkok by interviewing the owners of 275 dogs (2.6-15 years old) diagnosed with mammary gland tumors and the owners of 150 non-tumor dogs (3.3-18 years old). All dogs in the study were intact (non-spayed) female.

Results

Data showed that 91.3 % from the dogs with mammary tumor had been fed with homemade diet (31.6% fat, 40.4% carbohydrate and 24.9% protein) and only 0.7 % strictly fed with commercial dry diet (13.0% fat, 54.5% carbohydrate and 21.5% protein). In contrast, in the non-tumor dogs, only 10% had been fed with homemade diet and 56 % strictly fed with commercial dry diet.

Conclusion

High fat homemade diet found to involve in or play a critical role on canine mammary gland tumor reported in human breast cancer.