Source: Denver 7
Researchers at Colorado State University (CSU) are studying how wildfire smoke and poor air quality affect dogs, expanding on what is already known about its harmful effects on humans. Led by Veterinary professor Dr. Colleen Duncan, the project uses detailed lifetime health records from more than 3,000 golden retrievers in the Golden Retriever Lifetime Study.
By combining this Veterinary data with air quality and wildfire smoke data from CSU’s Department of Atmospheric Sciences, researchers can track dogs’ exposures across different locations and link them to health outcomes such as allergies, cancer, and respiratory or skin diseases. Duncan noted that dogs may serve as strong “sentinels” for household exposure since their movements are easier to track compared to humans. The research, expected to take about two years, could lead to better guidelines for protecting pets during poor air quality events, while also offering insights that may translate to human health.