INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — A Purdue University study to prevent and understand bladder cancer in Scottish Terriers could help humans better understand the disease.

Purdue veterinarian Dr. Deborah Knapp and her team of researchers the team followed 120 Scottish Terriers over a three-year period to figure out what could prevent an often-fatal cancer in this breed. The team also wanted to use that information to see what might affect cancer rates in other breeds and even humans.

In a study published in “The Veterinary Journal,” Knapp and her team found that dogs exposed to cigarette smoke were six times more likely to develop bladder cancer.

Knapp says the genetics of Scottish Terriers make them vulnerable to cancer. They develop bladder cancer at a rate 20 times higher than other dog breeds. By following Scotties, the researchers could better isolate factors that affect the likelihood of any dog or human getting cancer.

“Cancer is a combination of what you are born with, your genetics, and what you are exposed to, your environment,” Knapp said, “In this case, we studied these dogs for years at a time, and then we went back and asked, ‘What was different between those that developed cancer and those that did not develop cancer? What were the risk factors?”

Purdue says the results are not black and white. Some dogs who were around the smoke did not develop cancer while others not around smoke still got cancer. This is also true in humans; half of human bladder cancer is due to smoking, but not all smokers get bladder cancer.

Knapp says the discovery is a new one, and this new information may help pet owners better protect their pets in the future.

“What we hope pet owners will take from this is that if they can reduce the exposure of their dogs to smoke, that can help the dogs’ health,” Knapp said. “We hope they stop smoking altogether, both for their health and so they will continue to be around for their dogs, but any steps to keep smoke from the dogs will help.”

Knapp’s study was funded by the National Institute of Health’s National Cancer Institute, the Scottish Terrier Club of America and gifts made to Purdue University for canine bladder cancer research.

About Scottish Terriers:

The Scottish Terrier is famous for being a presidential pet to George W. Bush and Franklin Roosevelt, and they’re a player token in Monopoly.