Many of us have heard fascinating stories of dogs warning their owners of unseen dangers to protect them, as well as their ability to sense if their owner is in pain. Among these amazing stories are ones where dogs are able to detect cancer!
Dogs have a superior sense of smell and are able to detect specific odor signatures, which can sometimes be associated with disease. But how do they detect illness, especially cancer? Due to the differences in training, environment, and individual temperament, dogs can exhibit a variety of behaviors when exposed to illness-associated scents, including those linked to cancer.
In this article, we will discuss the reported tendencies of dogs when they may be detecting cancer-related odors.
How Do Dogs Smell Cancer?
Dogs’ sense of smell is said to be over 10,000 -100,000 times more sensitive and powerful than humans. Dogs have around 200-300 million olfactory receptors in their noses, while humans only have about 5-6 million. This grants dogs the ability to accurately detect and distinguish scents at much lower concentrations than humans can.
Dogs are able to use their senses to find missing persons, drugs, explosives, and even illnesses, such as cancer. Like other scent-based tasks, dogs can be trained under controlled conditions to detect cancer-related odors.
Though the exact mechanism by which dogs are able to detect cancer is not yet fully understood, it is believed that they are able to pick up on volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that are produced by altered cellular metabolism associated with cancer. These VOCs are present in very low concentrations, but dogs are able to detect them through samples of blood, urine, breath, and even through the skin.
While more research is needed to fully understand how dogs are able to detect cancer, current evidence suggests they may serve as a supplemental research tool rather than a standalone diagnostic method. Below are four ways in which dogs have been anecdotally or experimentally observed to respond when exposed to cancer-associated odors in people.
The 3 Behaviors to Observe
1. Looking and Touching Specific Body Parts
If you find your dog intently looking at specific body parts, or even pawing and touching them, it could mean they are responding to a localized scent or change. While this may be a simple sign of affection or curiosity, repeated and focused behavior may indicate that the dog is reacting to something unusual.
For example, if the dog is trained to detect breast cancer, it may touch or nudge the breast area with its nose or paw when it detects the odor of cancer. The dog may also look at the breast area with intense focus. Some studies have demonstrated that trained dogs can detect certain cancers at early stages, although this occurs under experimental conditions and should not replace medical screening.
3. Changes in Body Language
While some dogs may focus on specific areas, others show their response through broader changes in behavior rather than targeting one spot.
One way that dogs show they’ve potentially detected illness-related changes is through changes in behavior, such as an increase in barking and whining. With their superior sense of smell, dogs are able to detect subtle changes in scent that may be associated with disease, including cancer. With this, they may be able to detect tiny changes in the chemicals produced by abnormally functioning cells, such as cancer cells. Your dog may already be reacting to these scent changes and exhibit changes in their behavior, even before clinical signs of cancer are experienced by the individual.
Another explanation is that dogs are able to sense changes in the body language or demeanor of individuals with cancer. Cancer can often cause fatigue, pain, and other physical symptoms that may alter an individual’s usual body language. Dogs, who are highly attuned to the emotional states of their owners, may be able to detect these changes and respond with increased barking and whining.
Although changes in behavior can mean a variety of things for dogs, it is important to pay attention to any unusual behavioral changes, as they may indicate something more serious. For example, if your dog exhibits an increase in barking or whining, it is important to consult with a veterinarian to determine the cause of the behavior change.
4. Increased Affection and Clinginess
Increased clinginess and affection towards you can be a sign that your dog is responding to changes in your physical or emotional state, which may occur with illness, including cancer. As man’s best friend, dogs have a strong emotional connection with their owners, and may exhibit increased affection and clinginess as a way of providing comfort and support to their owner. This can include behaviors, such as constantly seeking physical contact, following their owner closely, and being more vocal in their display of affection.
It is important to pay attention to this behavior and to seek medical consultation if you have any concerns. It is always better to be safe than sorry, and your dog’s increased affection may be an indication that something has changed, rather than a specific diagnosis.
Can Dogs Be Trained to Detect Cancer?
Even otherwise untrained house dogs can be trained to detect cancer-associated odor signatures. This ability has been harnessed by trainers to teach dogs to detect the presence of cancer-related scents in the human body, and has been used by researchers as a supplemental research tool.
There have been numerous studies conducted on the effectiveness of cancer-detection dogs, and while the results are mixed, many of these studies have found that dogs can detect cancer with a high degree of accuracy.
While dogs can be specifically trained to detect cancer, more research is needed to determine the extent of this ability, as well as dogs’ trainability in this task across different cancer types and settings.
In Conclusion
Dogs, with their sensitive sense of smell, are able to detect specific odor changes associated with disease, including cancer.They can display a variety of behaviors that can suggest the presence of something unusual, but it is important to understand your dog’s personality and behaviors to determine if they are displaying anything out of the ordinary. They may be trying to tell you something through their changes in behavior or unusual mannerisms—so as dog owners, it’s recommended that we listen while also relying on appropriate medical evaluation.
Featured Image Credit By: Tatyana Vyc, Shutterstock
How Do Dogs Smell Cancer?
