| In today's world, the risk of cancer is incredibly | | | | studies testing the theory that a dog can detect |
| high. Thankfully, society has been working harder | | | | cancer in a patient. While both studies have had |
| than ever in the effort towards cancer prevention | | | | promising results, showing a rate of accuracy as |
| and treatment. Considering the importance behind | | | | high as 88%, they were both only preliminary |
| early detection of cancer, the thought that a | | | | tests, and used only a small sample of the |
| canine might be able to detect early signs of | | | | population. |
| cancer by scent alone is extremely promising. | | | | Regardless of whether or not a dog is actually |
| The idea that a dog's sense of smell might be | | | | able to detect cancer by scent, it remains that |
| powerful enough to detect cancer took off after | | | | any type of sniffer dog must be specifically |
| a victim of skin cancer noticed their canine | | | | trained for that purpose. However, the incident |
| repeatedly sniffing and showing an interest in a | | | | that originally sparked interest in cancer detection |
| skin lesion, which turned out to be melanoma. It is | | | | brings up an interesting point about dogs, such as |
| well known that certain breeds of dog are able to | | | | personal protection dogs, that work closely with |
| detect certain chemicals in the air in quantities as | | | | their owners; canines are incredibly in-tune with |
| low as parts per trillion, and considering that | | | | the health of their handlers. Whether or not your |
| certain cancers release specific toxins not | | | | German Shepherd or Belgian Malinois has been |
| released by healthy cells, it may be entirely | | | | specifically trained to sniff out cancer, there is a |
| possible for a dog to detect cancer. Over the | | | | good chance that it will recognize and respond to |
| past 4 years, there have only been a couple | | | | any kind of illness. |