Paging Dr. Dog: How pets ' special senses can save human lives

There have been times in my life when, if it hadn't been for my dogs making me get up and walk or feed them, I might have spent the day in bed. Truth be told, although it was many years ago, a bout of depression once hit me so hard that walking and feeding them was all I could do.



But pets can do more than nudge us into getting out of bed; some of them can detect deadly diseases like cancer, seizure disorders, or sepsis. From Pet Connection's own Kim Campbell Thornton over on MSNBC.com:

(B)esides being man’s best friend, some canines also have a lifesaving sixth sense. Dogs’ keen ability to differentiate smells enables some of them to know we’re sick long before we might ourselves. Combine that with their 24/7 observation of us and some pets have proven to be skilled diagnosticians, even if we’re not always sure what they’re trying to tell us.

In the past few years, studies have shown that dogs can sniff out both early and late stage lung and breast cancers. The Pine Street Foundation, a non-profit cancer education and research organization, in San Anselmo, Calif., is even training dogs to recognize ovarian cancer.

Some dogs have also been shown capable of detecting skin cancer.

Riker, a 9-year-old Australian Shepherd who lives with Liz and Paul Palika in Oceanside, Calif., poked insistently at Liz’s father’s chest. “Dad, did you leave some of your dinner on your shirt?” Liz teased him. But Riker wouldn’t stop. To satisfy him, Liz and her mother took a closer look. There was a lump on her father’s chest. A trip to the doctor revealed a melanoma that had spread beneath the skin.

Other dogs have been taught to catch when diabetics’ blood sugar levels drop. And for about the past 20 years, “seizure dogs” have been used to alert their owners to a pending seizure and assist them to a safe place until it’s over.

The full story is here.

Comments

[Christie Keith]

Terrific piece, Kim!

[Kim]

Thanks for blogging this, Christie. I got a lot of great stories in the process of putting it together; it was difficult deciding which ones to include.

[metoo]

Thanks for the admission of depression. It's a hard thing for people to understand. It is my dog that is getting me through my bout.

[Colorado Transplant]

For me, after my Brandy left this world recently, the only way I could survive, I knew, was to get my two black cats. Depression for me is always lurking around the corner. Just that kind of makeup I have.



Cats have keen senses and have alerted and saved people, also, when danger was around.

[Wendy Savino]

Can you please direct me to websites that would provide information about aquiring a dog to help alert someone with a seizure disorder of an impending seizure?



Thank you.