There is hardly any pleasure as great as having a loyal, furry dog by your side at all times. You dogs They are considered man's best friends due to a number of characteristics, such as their sociable personality and the caring nature of those who care for them.
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Recent research in the United States has shown that these animals are capable of this “Sniffing out” cancer.. The results of the study showed greater than 95% accuracy in detecting the disease in blood and saliva samples.
Old behavior
There are many cases of dogs focusing on a spot on their human friend's body that later turns out to be a hot spot for cancer cells. They often sniff, lick, and bite that particular spot as some sort of attempt to show that something is wrong there.
According to researcher Heather Ann Junqueira, who led the study, dogs have around 300 million olfactory receptors, in addition to a part of the brain dedicated to smell that is 40 times larger than that of humans.
But what behaviors do dogs adopt to indicate the presence of cancer to their humans? Check it out below.
Sniffing nonstop
Some animals prefer to smell their owners more than others, but in some cases this can be a warning sign. If the animal persistently sniffs a certain part of your body, it may be trying to tell you that there is something strange there.
Licking is also worth it
Another way they try to “get rid of” the problem from humans is by licking them, as this is what they usually do when they are feeling bad. Therefore, be careful if your furry friend frequently uses his tongue on any part of his body.
Bite if necessary
The mission to protect someone he loves can lead to mild bites at the site where the cancer was discovered. Basically, the dog is trying to make it clear to the human what to pay attention to.
Kicks
Dogs that constantly and insistently nudge their owner, especially in a specific part of their body, can also indicate a problem. It's not about kicks from walkers, but about forceful touches at any time.
Longer affection
When the animal senses the presence of the disease, it tends to comfort the human in the way it knows how: by maintaining physical contact. So if he becomes too clingy and constantly demands affection and comfort, he may be trying to say that there is something to worry about.
Communication with the eye
In addition to using physical means to point out the problem, the animal may simply observe with concern. This method occurs when the dog spends long minutes or even hours staring at you, showing silent concern.
Murmuring and gesticulating
Another way for the dog to indicate the presence of cancer is to make a murmur or whine, like a type of cry. If there is a simultaneous gesture of tilting the head, there is a high probability that he is trying to communicate something.
Find me if you can
A very strange behavior in dogs that sense cancer is hiding from people. According to researchers, this could be the animal's reaction to fear, as it does not know how to deal with the identified problem.
Study details
The results, presented in April at a meeting of the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, are surprising. In one of the tests, dogs detected signs of breast cancer in a patient about a year and a half before doctors diagnosed the disease.
Researcher Heather Ann Junqueira explains that test volunteers receive a kit containing a surgical mask that must be used for a certain period of time. The item is then returned to the company and sniffed by the dogs.
“I let the dogs sniff the mask and give them a treat. Then I place the item with the smell along with a piece of food and hide it somewhere. You'll have to snoop and find out. In fact, they look for food but end up associating the smells,” he explained in an interview.
In addition to the masks, she also uses blood samples and always associates the snack with the smell. “As they approach the object, I tell them to sit. Then they sit down and eat something. Finally, I remove the food and only the item that smells like cancer remains. When they discover it and sit down, it's like they think, 'I found the smell, now I'm going to sit down and get food,'” he adds.
Heather says she used beagle dogs in the study because they have an extremely keen sense of smell. The specialist also trains a Labrador, but needs more time to smell it.
Trust your best friend, but go to the doctor
The researcher believes that the results of the new study should encourage further research related to the treatment and detection of cancer, especially in its early stages. She predicts that in the future people will be able to test using simple samples, such as a pregnancy test sold in pharmacies.
The next step in the research is to find out exactly what dogs sniff out in humans so that they can ultimately use that element to identify the disease. But that doesn't stop you from keeping an eye on your best friend's signs or giving your dog a treat and extra attention, right?
It is worth noting that although dogs are excellent allies in detecting some types of cancer, it is important to seek medical attention. Animals can often detect the disease at an early stage, but diagnosis and treatment are carried out by professionals.