Cancer and other causes of death among U.S. veterinarians, 1966-1977

Causes of death among 1,551 white male veterinarians identified from obituary listings in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association were compared to an expected distribution based on the general US population. The proportion of deaths was significantly high for particular neoplasms, especially leukemia and Hodgkin's disease, and cancers of the brain and skin. Although socioeconomic and methodologic factors may be involved, the excesses were primarily among veterinarians in clinical practice, raising the possibility that specific occupational exposures may be carcinogenic. Mortality was also relatively high for motor vehicle accidents, suicides and asthma, but low for lung cancer and other diseases of the respiratory system.