Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances: using comparative medicine to understand exposure and adverse health outcomes in people and their pets

Abstract

One of the important human health benefits of keeping pets may be to serve as an early warning system for indoor childhood exposure to toxic chemicals such as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). The stain-resistant properties and environmental stability of PFAS make them a preferred choice for protective coatings and lubricants, and they have been used for years in various manufacturing and industrial processes around the world. Although the use of PFAS has arguably improved many commercial products, they have been linked to adverse health outcomes such as developmental delays, liver damage, immune suppression, disruption of endocrine and reproductive systems, and some cancers. The current body of literature suggests that serum PFAS levels in dogs and cats are analogous to their human counterparts and that household pets experience similar changes in blood chemistry markers. The proximity of small children and household pets to PFAS-treated carpets and floors, in addition to their tendency to put things into their mouths, potentially allows pets to serve as sentinels for household PFAS exposure. To assess the suitability of pets as indicators for exposure, researchers need to understand the most likely sources of PFAS exposure for household pets and identify the biomarkers of biological effects in those animals. Understanding these parameters may alert veterinary clinicians to potential sources of contamination in the home and ultimately protect the lives of the children and animals who live there.

Domestic Dogs and Horses as Sentinels of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substance Exposure and Associated Health Biomarkers in Gray’s Creek North Carolina

“…Notably, dog serum was dominated by PFOS, PFHxS, and PFOA, an exposure profile reflective of the dominant perfluorinated compounds previously reported in human serum samples. , These similarities likely relate to shared exposure routes within indoor environments including water, house dust, and PFAS treated textiles. ,,, While we did not specifically look at PFAS concentrations in dog food, others have reported concentrations in the parts per billion (i.e., ng/g) range for PFOS, PFOA, and PFHxS. Dog food often contains food industry by-products and fish meal, which in part may explain the higher concentrations of these PFAS in dog serum compared to horses. − Follow-up studies looking at the total daily intake of PFAS from food and water sources in dogs may clarify the contribution of the ambient environment to circulating PFAS concentrations as opposed to dietary sources …”

Pets, Genuine Tools of Environmental Pollutant Detection

“…Licking off polluted dust from their fur is the route favoring the onset of feline hyperthyroidism [ 116 ]. The sentinel role for pollution-triggered hyperthyroidism due to indoor dust exposure was established by You et al [ 117 ] and by Brake et al [ 118 ] following their parallel human-feline studies. They found that the quantities of PFAS detected in the serum of cats are higher than in humans, which may be caused by a different metabolic reaction in the two species to those pollutants [ 119 ].…”

Pets, Genuine Tools in Detecting Environmental Pollutants. Sentinels and Biomonitors

“…Licking off polluted dust from their fur is the route favoring the onset of feline hyperthyroidism [116]. The sentinel role for pollution-triggered hyperthyroidism due to indoor dust exposure was established by You et al [117] and by Brake et al [118] following their parallel humanfeline studies. They found that the quantities of PFAS detected in the serum of cats are higher than in humans, which may be caused by a different metabolic reaction in the two species to those pollutants [119].…”