The Sense of Smell in Dogs is Highly Skilled at Detecting 8 Different Diseases

Dogs possess an olfactory ability that exceeds ours by approximately 10,000 times due to their possession of around 220 million scent receptors, compared to humans’ 5 million. Their rapid inhalations, reaching up to 300 per minute, ensure consistent capture of new scents, contributing to their impressive role in swiftly detecting diseases.

When our well-being is compromised, we emit specific substances into the air. In cases of infection or sickness, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are released through breath, blood, sweat, and urine, forming a “volatilome” or molecular field around the body. These VOCs often alter body odor, a phenomenon dogs are capable of detecting. Yet, which particular illnesses can dogs accurately identify?

Here are eight ailments where our furry companions demonstrate exceptional prowess in detection:

Cancer

Scientific investigations have demonstrated that dogs with proper training can identify various forms of cancer, encompassing melanoma, colorectal (intestinal), lung, ovarian, prostate, and breast cancers. In a study conducted in 2021, it was revealed that a trained dog successfully identified breast cancer by scent in urine samples from a group of 200 individuals, achieving a flawless 100% accuracy rate. Within this group, 40 individuals were diagnosed with breast cancer, 182 had different types of cancer, and 18 were confirmed to be cancer-free.

However, it’s not always a requirement for dogs to undergo specialized training to identify cancer. A case study from 2013 recounted an incident involving an Alsatian, adopted as a rescue dog, which continuously licked an unnoticed abnormality behind the ear of its 75-year-old owner. Subsequent medical examination led to the diagnosis of malignant melanoma in the man.

Diabetes

Service canines known as Diabetic Alert Dogs (DADs) undergo specialized training to notify their owners about fluctuations in their blood sugar levels, which can pose potential life-threatening risks. A study conducted in the United Kingdom in 2016 proposed that a decrease in blood sugar results in the emission of a volatile organic compound (VOC) named isoprene.

This particular VOC remains imperceptible to humans, yet dogs have the ability to detect it through scent. Another study published in 2019, focusing on the dependability of dogs in recognizing blood sugar levels, observed that while there were variations among individual dogs, approximately 81% of alerts were accurate when sugar levels were considered ‘out of range,’ signifying levels that were excessively high or low.

Narcolepsy

Narcolepsy stands as a lifelong neurological disorder affecting the brain’s capacity to regulate sleep-wake cycles, rendering individuals susceptible to abrupt episodes of sleepiness that can pose risks depending on their timing. In a 2013 investigation, canines with training detected 11 out of 12 individuals with narcolepsy, leading researchers to conclude that those with narcolepsy emit a distinct scent detectable by dogs.

Epilepsy

Analogous to narcolepsy, studies have revealed that individuals with epilepsy emit a particular scent, identifiable to trained dogs, that serves as an early warning of an impending seizure. Even among patients with differing forms of epilepsy that manifest distinct types of seizures, dogs demonstrated the ability to discern the scent linked to seizures with sensitivities ranging from 67% to 100%.

Furthermore, untrained dogs also exhibit the capability to sense seizures. A study in 2019 observed that 19 untrained dogs of varying breeds consistently displayed heightened attention-seeking behaviors – such as making prolonged eye contact with a person – upon detecting scents from sweat samples obtained from individuals with epilepsy, as opposed to samples from non-epileptic individuals. There’s also speculation that dogs may pick up on cues related to behavior rather than biology when detecting seizures. Nonetheless, the outcome remains consistent.

Migraines

The migraine experience involves various stages, the initial one being the premonitory phase, marked by signals like shifts in mood, cravings for food, queasiness, and cognitive haziness. While much of the information regarding migraine-detecting dogs is based on personal accounts, a significant 53.7% of 1,029 adults suffering from migraines reported that their (untrained) dogs exhibited altered behavior prior to or during the early stages of a migraine attack. These behavioral shifts were typically observed within two hours before the onset of symptoms. Canine alert behaviors encompassed intense staring, reluctance to leave their owner’s side, positioning themselves atop or beside their owner, or guiding them towards resting on a bed or couch.

Parkinson’s Disease

A recent study conducted in China assessed the aptitude of sniffer dogs in distinguishing between individuals with Parkinson’s disease (PD) who were under medication, those with PD who were not medicated, and a control group. For those on medication, the dogs displayed a sensitivity rate of 91%, while for individuals with unmedicated PD, the sensitivity was at 89%.

A current clinical trial is underway to evaluate dogs’ capacity to differentiate between patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD) and those without PD, aiming to utilize them for early disease diagnosis.

Malaria

Research has revealed that individuals infected with malaria emit a fragrance that heightens their attractiveness to mosquitoes. In a 2019 investigation, Gambian children afflicted with and without asymptomatic malaria were provided with socks to wear overnight. After evaluating the scent of these socks, two trained dogs accurately identified 70% of children with malaria and 90% of healthy children, even detecting cases with low levels of parasites.

COVID-19

Recent in-depth research found that trained scent-detection dogs are frequently as good as, and sometimes superior to, standard COVID-19 tests like PCR and RATs. These dogs can even identify the SARS-CoV-2 virus regardless of the presence of other viruses. These studies highlight how our companions could be an efficient, quick, and accurate means of disease detection, though their use for this purpose is still not widespread.

While efforts focus on expensive biosensors, we should explore utilizing dogs’ strong sense of smell. They’re used as therapy animals in healthcare settings, making them ideal for detecting diseases there too

Read the original article on: New Atlas

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