August 19, 2011

Dogs Sniff Out Cancer?

The anecdotes abound about people sharing how their dog sniffed and pawed at them until the person checked out what seemed to be a problem - and found that they had cancer.

Now a new study is suggesting that there is something to the stories. Preliminary tests have shown that dogs indeed do detect a certain scent and can pinpoint molecules contained in tubes that sick patients have breathed into.

Will dogs be part of a new cancer detection force and a better tool to catching often "invisible" cancers in earlier, more treatable stages?

Read rest of the story here.

3 comments:

Courtney Mroch said...

All my animals acted differently when I had cancer (before I knew I did). It was my one cat, though, who perched on my chest right where I would later learn I hsd cancer who seemed to be trying to tell me the most, "Hey, mom, something's not right." He's the least affectionate of the 3, but he'd lay on me for HOURS if I'd let him at that point. Now that I'm better, he's back to the occassional snuggle.

Unknown said...

I'm a believer, my dog brought to my attention a spot that I wouldn't have suspected. Next dermatology visit proved him right.

CA Verstraete said...

Glad for both of you that you had such great animals! Isn't it amazing?