9 Signs to Look for When a Dog Smells Cancer
One of the reasons humans discovered that dogs could smell cancer was that, when they do, they hone in on the affected area of your body and sniff like crazy. In many cases, when a dog smells cancer, you won’t be able to keep them from sniffing, even by pushing them away, saying “no,” or telling them to stop.
If your dog suddenly starts to sniff you in a specific area of your body and won’t stop no matter how hard you try, it might be time to visit your physician for a checkup.
Whining and Tilting their Head When They Look at You
Many dog owners have wondered what it would be like if their dogs could talk. In a way, they do, usually with whines, growls, and other doggy noises. If a dog smells cancer, it might whine more than usual when it’s around you or stare at you with its head tilted to the side.
It’s your dog’s way of saying, “Hey, I don’t know what’s going on, but something doesn’t seem right.” They might also be upset about something else, but if your dog is whining around you and doing it much more than usual, don’t ignore it.
Hiding From Their Pet Parent
While this reaction to smelling cancer might sound odd, researchers believe it’s because your dog fears the problem they’ve detected. Just ask Stephanie Herfel. In 2014 Stephanie’s Siberian Husky, Sierra, was acting very strangely, including hiding in a closet in their home. To make a long story short, Stephanie found out she had cancer, and Sierra was so upset that she hid in fear.
Amazingly, Sierra detected Stephanie’s cancer two more times and noticed it in two other people! Every time, this fantastic dog went and hid in the closet.
Dogs Can Smell Cancer | Secret Life of Dogs | BBC Earth
Dogs are very well known for their astounding sense of smell, and this ability has proved to be an asset to the world of medicine. That said, the diagnostic quality of dogs’ sense of smell is important in sniffing out certain diseases, and questions have been asked on whether this includes the dreaded cancer disease. So, can dogs smell cancer?
Yes, dogs can smell cancer. Thanks to their super sharp sense of smell, specially trained dogs are capable of sniffing out and detecting the presence of cancerous cells in humans. These dogs often react by constantly sniffing at parts of the body potentially affected by cancer.
While there are many other dog breeds that have shown the impeccable quality of detecting cancer with their sense of smell, you’re more likely to find this quality in a purebred or one of the numerous cross breeds of a Labrador Retriever.
In this article, you will be treated to the knowledge of how man’s best friends go about their business of detecting cancer and whether or not your pooch’s breed is a member of the exclusive league of cancer-detecting canines. However, before we delve into all this, let’s take a look at what dogs typically do when they smell cancer in their humans.