dogs are true smell experts. They can smell between 10,000 and 20,000 times better than humans.
We know that dogs have been successful in sniffing out drugs and explosives for many years.
Dogs are also being used more and more in medicine. But how does a dog behave when it smells cancer?
This article will tell you!
Training trains the dog’s behavior when it smells cancer
As with many things that dogs can sniff out, clicker training is often used to train the dog to recognize samples from cancer patients.
The dog already has the “talent” to sniff out the sample from the cancer patient. He is positively strengthened by the special training.
But how exactly does a dog behave when it smells cancer? Depending on the training, he goes into «sit», «down» or puts his nose down when he sniffs the sample.
This is followed by a click from the clicker or some other reward that encourages the dog.
Dog nose recognizes cancer molecules
Dogs can sniff out different types of cancer using molecules. A breath, blood, urine or stool sample is sufficient.
The dog nose is 97 percent correct in samples from patients with lung, colon, prostate or cervical cancer.
Unfortunately, it is not yet known what chemical substance secreted by the crab that dogs can smell.
Interesting
The beagle is particularly good at sniffing out cancer.
Worldwide research on canine cancer detection
How does a dog behave when it smells cancer? An untrained dog at the end of the 80s is said to have sniffed the degenerated birthmark of his mistress again and again.
This behavior was the impetus for a large number of worldwide studies.
In the US, Beagles have been conditioned to recognize blood samples from patients with malignant lung cancer.
In Germany, dogs can detect lung cancer based on breath samples. How does a dog behave when it smells this cancer?
He is trained to lie with his nose in front of the sample and point his nose at it.
Studies in Israel show that dogs are very clear Differentiate tumor cells from healthy cells no matter what type of tumor it is.
Reliable dog nose – reliable diagnosis?
The question «how does a dog behave when it smells cancer» depends heavily on reinforcement training. It is clear that on average 97 percent of dogs reliable recognize the cancer.
But the dog is susceptible to employee fatigue and unconscious behavior. Therefore, no dog can detect cancer 100 percent.
Researchers are therefore working to find out which molecules the dog recognizes in cancer and convert them into a reliable diagnostic method.
Have you ever heard that dogs can smell cancer with their noses? Share gladly your opinion with us.
And enjoy watching the interesting YouTube video by Quarks about dogs that can smell cancer.