Animals are exposed to cigarette smoke and other cigarette by-products through their use as experimental subjects and through contact with smokers, as in the case of pets in homes where smoking occurs.
Video Animals and tobacco smoke
Live exposure in experimental settings
The first recorded attempt to artificially induce animal tumors through the application of tobacco products occurred in 1911. A series of monographs of 2004 released by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, part of the World Health Organization, summarizes research from the 1960s onwards on tobacco carcinogenicity in various laboratory animals.
Method
As noted in the IARC monograph, the carcinogenic nature of cigarette smoke is determined in two ways. The first is through the application of condensate of cigarette smoke to the skin. Condensate of cigarette smoke is collected by passing smoke through a cold trap and restoring the retained material. Cigarettes are usually smoked and the machine is washed from traps using volatile substances such as acetone, which are then removed. Many procedures to collect these cigarette-condensate fumes have not been standardized in the laboratory, including how condensate is stored, in number and mode of smoked cigarettes, and the type of solvent used. After condensate is collected, it is attached to the skin of the animal test subjects, which are then examined at prescribed intervals to assess tumor growth.
The second method, as described by the IARC monograph, is used to measure the carcinogenicity of cigarette smoke in animals by exposing it to mainstream cigarette smoke. The IARC monograph defines primary cigarette smoke as being emitted by the tip of the cigarette mouth and therefore the smoke that human smokers will be exposed to most. The IARC monograph describes the methods and tools that scientists have developed to make it more effective and standardize the release of primary cigarette smoke. These devices vary between the entire body and only nasal exposure, but usually involve cigarette smoke being pumped into a small room containing the animal test subjects. Various factors distinguish the experience of human smokers from this animal test subjects. Human smokers inhale voluntarily and therefore do so deeper than the animal test subjects who usually adopt short, shallow breath when exposed to smoke. The subjects of animal testing, especially rodents and dogs, also have an upper respiratory system that is morphologically different from humans. Despite these variables, the dose of smoke given to these animals can be determined by examining tissue and blood samples. Dogs, which can not be exposed to secondhand smoke through the inhalation chamber as easily as small rodents, require different methods of exposure to cigarette smoke. These methods include thracheostomy, in which the smoke is pumped through the tube directly into the cut hole in the dog's throat, or through a mask attached to the dog's face.
Results
The IARC monograph concluded that the application of cigarette smoke condensate to the skin of rats induces tumors, from a variety of both benign and malignant. Although carcinogenicity of tobacco smoke was first found in humans, various types of animals have also been exposed to inhaled tobacco smoke in an attempt to generate further experimental evidence and control for a variety of experimental factors, including tobacco types and exposure rates, which would be considered unethical in studies human. The IARC monograph, a study reference that uses a variety of smoke inhalation methods, concluded that a significantly larger number of lung tumors occurred among exposed mice compared with the control group. Since the 1960s, the most widely used animal in the testing of carcinogenicity of tobacco smoke has become the Syrian Gold Hamster because of its resistance to lung infections and the spontaneous frequency of developing lung tumors. According to the IARC monograph, these studies have been proven, and repeatedly assert, the carcinogenic nature of tobacco smoke for hamsters.
Several studies referenced in the IARC monograph found that certain groups of mice exposed to primary tobacco smoke were significantly more likely to develop lung tumors. The IARC monographs also refer to studies involving rabbits and dogs that are much less conclusive. The authors, however, cite various experimental limitations, such as small tests or control groups and missing data, which may explain the lack of conclusive results.
Environmental tobacco smoke effects
Various studies have also been conducted to determine the environmental tobacco carcinogenicity of animals. These studies typically fall into the category of environmental tobacco simulations, smoke sidestream condensate, or cancer observational studies among pets.
Environmental tobacco smoke simulation
To study the consequences of passive smoking, scientists expose animals to inhaling cigarette smoke, which comes from a burning cigarette cone and through its paper, or a combination of mainstream smoke and sidestream. The IARC monograph concluded that mice with prolonged exposure to second hand smoke simulations, ie six hours a day, five days a week, for five months at the next four month intervals before dissection, would have a significantly higher incidence and lung multiplicity. Tumors were compared with the control group.
Sidestream smoke condensate
The IARC monograph concluded that the sidestream smoke condensate had a significantly higher carcinogenic effect in mice than the main condensate smoke.
Pet observation studies
Secondhand smoke is recognized as a cancer risk factor in pets. A study conducted by Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine and University of Massachusetts Amherst linked the occurrence of cat cancers with exposure to environmental tobacco smoke through p53 gene overexpression. Another study conducted at the same university concluded that cats living with smokers were more likely to get cat lymphoma; the risk increases with the duration of exposure to secondhand smoke and the number of smokers in the household. A study by Colorado State University researchers, who looked at dog lung cancer cases, is generally unconvincing, although the authors report a weak association for lung cancer in dogs exposed to environmental tobacco smoke. The number of smokers in the home, the number of packs of cigarettes in the home per day, and the amount of time the dogs spend inside the house has no effect on the dog's risk for lung cancer.
In 1990, a German tobacco industry researcher proposed a study of the effects on animal lifetime exposure to passive smoking. The proposed study was blocked by Philip Morris, as described in the company's internal report:
PM [Philip Morris] recently blocked Adlkofer's plan to conduct lifetime inhalation research on sidestream fumes. (INBIFO studies have shown that in 90-day inhalation tests, no non-reversible changes have been detected.In the lifelong study, the results are almost certainly less favorable.Based on the analysis, other members of the German industry agreed that the proposed study should not next).
A 2008 study conducted by Henry Ford Health System found that information provided about the harmful effects of passive smoking on their pets, 28.4% of pet owners who smoke will be motivated to quit, 8.7% will ask those who stay with them to stop, and 14.2% will stop smoking indoors.
Maps Animals and tobacco smoke
Nicotine poisoning in animals
Animals such as dogs, cats, squirrels, and other small animals are not only influenced by inhalation of secondhand smoke, but also nicotine intoxication. Domestic pets, especially dogs, usually get sick when the owner leaves nicotine products such as cigarette butts, chewing tobacco, or nicotine gum in the range of animals. Smoking cigarette smoking from smokers can be a problem for small animals that mistakenly think of it as food if they find it, especially in urban environments. Cigarette butts are the remnants of cigarettes after smoking containing filters containing tar, particles, and toxins from cigarettes such as ammonia, arsenic, benzene, turpentine and other toxins.
Cigarette butts can be found in large quantities as trash. It takes 18 months to 10 years for the filter to degrade. Despite awareness campaign of cigarette waste. encouraging smokers to avoid littering and even carrying pocket ashtrays, cigarette butts ranks number one in the list of the worst waste problems in the US. This makes it easier for small animals such as puppies, squirrels, and raccoons to find and consume nicotine unexpectedly. Around 4.5 trillion cigarette butts are reported as waste around the world per year. Cigarette butts are reported to account for 30% of the waste items found on the US coast.
It can be dangerous for animals such as seagulls and turtles because when placed in large waters like the ocean, toxins from cigarette butts can damage marine life. Researchers at San Diego State University claim that cigarette butts with the tip of the filter are toxic especially for marine fish and freshwater. Even just one cigarette soaked in water for a day is harmful enough to kill 50% of fish in a liter of water. Dolphins have the most fat in marine life and toxins concentrate there, so dolphins are mainly the ones most affected by toxins.
Toxins from cigarette butts can cause health problems in animals such as vomiting, tremor and hypersalivation. Veterinary Medicine published a case of a 10-year-old Labrador woman swallowing back a cigarette butt. Labrador spits several times and has increased blood urea nitrogen, total protein concentration, and albumin with haemolysis and lipemia are also observed. Apomorphine hydrochloride and activated charcoal should be supplied along with other liquids. 5 days after the incident, dog health returns to normal. The toxicity levels of nicotine in dogs or cats are reported as 20-100 mg about one to five cigarettes.
New products available in some markets, soluble nicotine, containing about 1 mg of nicotine per pellet. Other products such as Camel Strips containing 0.6 mg of nicotine per strip and stick. Although this nicotine content is low compared to cigarettes, these items can be more attractive to small, non-vigilant animals such as puppies.
Controversy between animal rights activists and the tobacco industry
Much controversy exists in animal testing especially with nicotine and tobacco products. The animal activism group is very vocal about corporate claims like Phillip Morris funding animal tobacco research. There is always a lot of tension between groups of animal activists, and researchers and this becomes very visible with serious attacks on a researcher. Edythe D. London, a UCLA professor who led a 3-year study targeted by activists and his home was flooded by the Animal Liberation Front. A firebomb was also left in front of his home by the North American Wildlife Liberation. After that incident Edyth London wrote an article titled "Why I use animals in my research". In the article, London expressed interest in solving the problem of addiction and offering assistance to those who need help in stopping their tobacco addiction. He claimed to be funded by Philip Morris USA and sees no problems with it.
On the Philip Morris website, the company claims that they currently do not conduct internal research using laboratory animals. They fund external research, but claim to do so in a humane and responsible way as demonstrated by their accreditation by the Association for the Assessment and Accreditation of Veterinary Laboratory.
In 2001, American Spirit claimed to have switched to non-cruel cigarettes where the company did not test cigarettes using animals. The move was praised by a group of animal activists and used to encourage other tobacco companies to follow the leadership of the American Spirit.
The main argument of animal activists, in addition to animal ethical treatment, is no point in continuing to experiment with animals to prove the detrimental effects of tobacco, which are already known. The Impact of the Press as it claims that "in one experiment, vivisectors cut a hole in the beagle's dog's throat and made them inhale cigarette smoke concentrated for a whole year". The group also claims that at the Oregon Regional Primate Research Center, rhesus monkeys live in tight iron cages and pregnant monkeys exposed to nicotine. There is also a rejection by animal activists from a March-funded study of Dimes in which nicotine is given to pregnant mice, and then its offspring are tested to see how they perform in the labyrinth. "Groups like PETA use slogans like" Do not be burned by Philip Morris. They use your money to harm animals. "PETA also claims that there are still questions about the reliability of the results from animal testing for tobacco research.According to an article, federal regulatory and research agencies have nearly 200 test methods that ensure the effectiveness of animal studies. Interagency on Validation of Alternative Methods exists to review this method. Some researchers, however, continue to argue that there is a longitudinal study of cigarette smoking that still needs to be done, and that research on animals is not exaggerated, but necessary.
References
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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