Identifying the Risk Factors for Malignant Mammary Tumors in Dogs: A Retrospective Study

SIMPLE SUMMARY: The increasing incidence of cancer in animals is a growing concern, with mammary cancer being the most prevalent form in female dogs. Efforts have been made to prevent and understand the factors contributing to its development. Using data from a veterinary hospital of reference in Brazil, we determined that the size dog, breed type, housing, and body score influence the risk of developing malignant mammary tumors. ABSTRACT: Mammary cancer is one of the main causes of death in female dogs worldwide, considering that many risk factors are involved in its development. This study aimed to elucidate the relationship between epidemiological and clinical risk factors with the histopathological diagnosis of malignant mammary tumors in dogs treated at the Veterinary Hospital of the Federal University of Uberlândia, which has one of the first veterinary oncology services in Brazil. A retrospective matched case-control study was conducted to identify risk factors for the development of malignant mammary tumors in dogs. The variables analyzed were size dog, breed, housing, type of diet, and body score. Potential risk factors were selected by univariate analysis (p < 0.25) before multivariate forward binary logistic regression. The most frequent benign tumor was the benign mixed tumor (35.2%), and the most frequent malignant tumor was the mixed carcinoma (27.4%). Size dog, breed, housing, and overweight are predictors of malignant mammary tumors in dogs. The highest risk of developing malignant mammary tumors is associated with large female dogs, Yorkshire or Poodle breeds, living outside the home, or being overweight.