How can dogs smell cancer?

Question

I fasinated with dogs' sense of smell, and want to learn more about their capabilities.

Answer 1

It may not be smell. They might be sensing the locally higher temperature caused by inflammation associated with cancer. I had one that could sense pain probably for that reason. Wherever my arthritis was rearing up, she would focus on that spot and lick it for a long period of time.

Answer 2

i can tell you about my experience with my dog and my sis in law. She came down with this cough that she couldn't shake. The doctors keep saying this or that and gave her all kind of meds for this cough. My dog Thunder, First let me say Karen was never fond of dogs so my dogs always stayed clear of her, but for some reason when she came down with this cough Thunder came to her and kept laying his head on her chest. He would never leave her nor let my other dogs get close to her. All he did was lay on her chest.I made Karen do to another doc. To make a long story short, she had lung cancer, My dog knew this for some unknown reason. During the time she was sick he never left her side when they were together. Before she died her and Thunder laid on my couch side by side with each other for the longest time. Him laying his head on her chest. He never left her. Now this was one dog and one person who never really were around each other to much.. the bond those to had while she was dying was something unbelievable. When she died, I use to wear a yellow band for cancer patience. One day I took off the band, Some how Thunder got hold of it so I watch him. He went to where him and Karen use to lay and held that yellow band in his mouth for the longest time..then he laid it where they use to lay on my couch. What I witness with my dog and my sis in law was the most powerfulness if that is a word lol. I ever witness. I would never have believe it if I didn't see it first hand. Dog seems to know more than we give them credit for. They seem to give what all they have to give when they need to. How can they smell cancer I will never know.. why did just one of my dogs smell it . I can't explain that either.

Answer 3

Depends on if thye were specifically trained to do so or it comes naturaly

You can teach a dog to scent discrimanate anything narcotics (drugs), different types of food, explosives - eg bombs etc human scents - owners, strangers from smelling clothing & tracking etc & many other things - the same princble apples to traingthng them to search out cancer ( of the skin) - this comes naturally to some dogs - who some how must determin theres a change in skin from it's odor or gas/ etcit emmits.

Answer 4

It is VERY fascinating!!!
What I know is that "usually" these dogs are "scent hounds" not always but usually and how they do it I'm not exactly sure
but I do know it is a very real "phenonemon" but it has some to do with all the scent receptors in those noses and more. Not just cancer but there are many that detect seizures before they even happen, like epileptic seizures. Some have been know to detect potential diabetic problems (shock etc.) AWESOME!!!
One story I have is a few years back our coonhound Farley
in the evening one night was just beside himself, for nothing could he settle down...very odd for him, back and forth to the door and back back and back incessant whining etc. He didn't want out, food water nothing. Coinicidently, I was in bed with a migraine but this is what I had heard and told to me by my son and mom. Farley started scratching on my door repeated, (scaring mom think somethings wrong with me) BUT finally I got fed up and went to figure out what his problem was, I open the door, and told him shhh I'm coming he runs to the door, I said hold on I have to pee he sat whining at the bathroom door. So I open the door and out shoots Farley (me rubber boots, flashlight, also to mention we are on a acreage) this is where it gets good----Farley bee-lines it for over 2 acres to the other end of the field and I run to catch up......just JUST as I got to him, I look over and under a tree one of our sheep is delivery her second lamb!!!!!!! I ran back to the house to get towels and mom and son and Farley followed.....went inside and curled up and fell to sleep.
He sensed the iminent birth from in the house and knew enough to get me (us) out there to help her to the barn, and once he saw we were helping her and everything would be OKAY, and the babies were okay, he was a peace.
Isn't that a WONDERFUL story!!!!! We called him 5 alarm Farley for months after.
I just find dogs to be sooo much more amazing then most give them credit for. If we allow them to demonstrate their abilities I'm positive we would learn vast amounts from them.

Stanley Cohen has written some very interesting books about dog behaviour some are intitled:
How dogs Think
How to Speak Dog
and more I just can't think now, they are VERY intriguing.

Answer 5

they are able to detect odor particles that are thirty thousand times smaller than what we can detect. Not all will be able to distinguish between cancer and a normal minor injury, but it does seem that if a dog is constantly focusing his licking attention in a spot without a sore or other obvious reason you should have a doctor check it out.

Answer 6

Click below--very interesting!

http://www.wrightnewsletter.com/etips/ht200603/ht20060330.html

Answer 7

because they have a nose