Dogs are creatures with extraordinary sensitivity, especially when it comes to their ability to smell. It is proven that dogs have 25 times more olfactory receptors than humans, therefore their ability to sniff out less noticeable odors is much higher.
However, the idea that a dog can sniff out the presence of diseases or abnormalities present in the body, such as cancer, might be impressive. For that reason, animal scientists have dedicated themselves to the task of investigating whether this is a possible reality.
If you've wondered more than once if Can dogs detect cancer? Find out in this article on our site, if this unknown, is it a fact or a myth.
Dog capacities
Studies confirm that a dog's brain is almost completely controlled by the olfactory cortex, unlike people who are controlled by the visual capacity or visual cortex. This canine olfactory cortex is 40 times larger than that of a human being. In addition, the olfactory bulb in a dog has hundreds of millions of sensitive and reactive receptors, built to perceive odors over long distances and aromas that are extremely imperceptible to the human nose. So out there, it would not be a surprise that dogs have the ability to smell far beyond what we even imagine.
All these evolutionary and genetic capacities in dogs are almost considered extrasensory abilities, because we are not only talking about the sense of smell, a topic more physical, but also the ability to feel and glimpse things that humans are not capable of. This wonderful sensitivity is called "unheard of perception." Dogs can also perceive the pain and depression of others.
Over the years countless studies and experiments have been carried out, such as one published in the "British Medical Journal" which states that dogs, especially those that are trained to develop these better "gifts" they have the ability to detect diseases from early stages such as cancer, and that their effectiveness can reach 95%. Dogs can detect cancer. [1]
Although all dogs possess these abilities (because they are found naturally in their physical and emotional DNA) there are certain special breeds that, when trained for these purposes, give better results in detecting cancer. Dogs such as Labrador retrievers, German shepherds, beagles, Belgian Malinois, golden retrievers or Australian shepherds, among others.
How does it work?
Dogs detect by themselves the presence of some evil asset in a person's body. If the person has a localized tumor, through smell, they could locate the place where this anomaly is found, try to lick it and even bite it to remove it. Yes, dogs can detect cancer, especially those trained to do so.
Likewise, by sniffing breath and stool tests, the dog is capable of detecting the presence of negative traces. Part of the training of dogs that perform this "almost miraculous" task is that upon sensing that something is wrong after performing the test, the dog immediately performs the act of sitting down as a warning.
Dogs, our canine heroes
Cancer cells release toxic waste very differently than he althy cells. the difference in smell between them is obvious to the developed canine sense of smell. The results of scientific analyzes affirm that there are factors and chemical elements that are unique to a certain type of cancer, and that these dance through the human body, to such an extent, that a dog can detect them.
It's amazing what dogs can do. Experts have concluded that dogs can sniff out the presence of cancer in the intestines, bladder, lung, mom, ovaries, even skin. Your help is invaluable because with proper and early detection, these localized cancers could be prevented from spreading throughout the body.
