A dog's sixth sense is no secret. They are deeply attuned to human moods and emotions and know exactly when to comfort us when we've got a case of the blues, can smell even the subtlest sign that something isn't quite right, and Even, in some cases, detect when a person is sick. But can dogs tell when a person has cancer?
According to science they can with the right training. In this post, we'll explore what studies show about this phenomenon.
Can dogs smell cancer in humans?
Research has confirmed that dogs have the ability to sniff out other diseases, including cancer. This comes down to the fact that dogs have a very sharp sense of smell. To put this into perspective, dogs have 300 million scent receptors in their noses, compared to only 5 million in humans.
This keen sense of smell helps dogs sniff out cancer. Cancer cells emit odors called volatile organic compounds that leave traces in the body or are excreted through fluids (breath, urine, etc.), and these odors can be smelled by dogs.
For example, if a medical sniffer dog sniffs the breath of a person with lung cancer, it will be able to detect cancer cells. If presented with a biopsy sample, they will be able to detect cervical cancer cells.
On that note, dogs need to be trained to be able to do this. This is done by having the dog sniff different types of fluids such as breath, urine and plasma. Over the course of a few months, it teaches them to distinguish between healthy and unhealthy patterns.
How do dogs detect the presence of cancer?
A dog signaling the presence of cancerous cells may behave in different ways, depending on what they have been trained to do and individual temperament. According to a woman diagnosed with ovarian cancer, her husky, Sierra, poked her nose into her lower abdomen and carefully curled up in a ball with her nose under her tail in pain. sniffed
In another example, a search-and-rescue dog is said to have detected his owner's lung cancer in the same way a Sierra Husky did, but on the chest. The dog also got angry and slapped his human.
Cancer patients report that dogs usually sniff the affected body part, put their noses on the affected area, pat the person and become agitated. Restless, or excessive clinging indicates cancer.
Are there medical sniffing dogs?
Yes. For example, Medical Detection Dogs, a UK organization, works with the National Health Service (NHS) and researchers around the world to understand how specially trained dogs detect cancer and other diseases. . . How can diagnostics help?
The organization's ultimate goal is that its work helps doctors detect and diagnose cancer earlier and, in turn, save more lives.
The organization also trains dogs as medical alert assistance dogs. These dogs help people with existing health conditions such as type 1 diabetes and Addison's disease and are trained to alert when they sense an emergency.
Final thoughts
So, there we have it! Dogs have such a keen sense of smell that they can be trained to sniff out cancer and other diseases in humans. It's just one more thing to add to the already long list of why dogs are amazing.
If your dog seems unusually preoccupied with a certain part of your body or is showing the symptoms described in this post, it does not mean you have cancer or any other disease. . Disease is - Sometimes, dogs are very simple and they are usually trained. Sniffer dogs that detect cancer—but it might be worth getting a checkup to make sure your pooch isn't really on to something.