• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
DogsBestLife.com logo

Dog's Best Life

The information you need to keep your dog happy, healthy, playful and loyal.

  • Top Stories
  • Blog
  • What We Do
  • About Us
  • Contact Us

How accurate are cancer-sniffing dogs?

Posted December 28, 2020

Closeup image of a dog's nose. Properly trained cancer-sniffing dogs can accurately distinguish a cancer sample from a noncancerous sample.
Properly trained cancer-sniffing dogs can accurately distinguish a cancer sample from a noncancerous sample.

Dogs are used for many amazing purposes, from search-and-rescue missions to sniffing out bombs. A well-trained dog can do almost anything — including using its powerful sense of scent for medical reasons.

Dogs’ noses have hundreds of millions of scent receptors, while humans only have about 400. A dog’s nose is so sharp that it can pick up even the most subtle traces of scent. Now, the medical world is turning to dogs to detect and locate a main cause of death in the U.S. — cancer.

How does canine cancer detection work?

Dogs have an incredible sense of smell. They can differentiate between millions of scents – including the odors given off by different types of cancer cells and biomarkers in patients with cancer.

Labrador retriever sniffs owner's hands.
Medical detection dogs can alert physicians to the presence of cancer odors in a sample – even samples that contain very low concentrations.

When properly trained to detect odor signatures from cancer cells, cancer-sniffing dogs can accurately distinguish a cancer sample from a noncancerous sample. These dogs can work off of many different types of samples.

  • Blood
  • Blood plasma
  • Breath
  • Skin
  • Stool
  • Sweat
  • Urine

Medical detection dogs can alert physicians to the presence of cancer odors in a sample – even samples that contain very low concentrations. Canine cancer detection has been successfully used to detect melanoma, lung cancer, colorectal cancer, colon cancer, ovarian cancer, prostate cancer, and breast cancer.

Studies support the accuracy of cancer-sniffing dogs

Cancer-sniffing dogs first started when dogs that were not trained to seek out cancer kept pestering their owners – for example, a dog kept sniffing and even biting at one woman’s mole, only to find that it was malignant melanoma. From then on, trainers began intentionally teaching dogs to sniff out cancer. Over the years, several studies have supported the accuracy of canine cancer detection.

  • Science Daily. A study published on April 8, 2019, found that cancer-sniffing dogs can use their noses to pick out which blood samples are from people with cancer with an accuracy of about 97%.
  • BMC Cancer. An older study from 2013 found positive results when testing whether trained dogs can detect cancer cells in blood samples. This study found both a 97% and a 99% success rate for detecting cancer cells or biomarkers in blood and blood plasma.
  • Front Vet Sci. On March 14, 2018, Front Vet Sci published a study on cancer-sniffing dogs. The study used breath samples to test a dog’s ability to detect lung cancer. The results found that both test subjects chose the correct samples, providing proof of concept.

The medical field has had enough success using cancer-sniffing dogs to view canine cancer detection as a viable alternative medicine form. The benefits that come with cancer-sniffing dogs include a low-risk noninvasive procedure, fast results, and less money spent on medical tests. Further research is required, however, to prove the reliability of canine cancer detection.

How are cancer-sniffing dogs trained?

Bloodhound relaxes on white background. Scenthounds, like the bloodhound, are active, energetic dogs that need plenty of exercise and mind stimulating games. They make excellent candidates for search and rescue and therapy work.
Dog breeds genetically predisposed to have heightened senses of smell like bloodhounds go through dozens of training sessions over several months to distinguish control samples from cancer-positive samples.

Dog breeds genetically predisposed to have heightened senses of smell, such as bloodhounds, Labradors, and German Shepherds, undergo significant training to become cancer-sniffing canines.

They go through dozens of training sessions over several months to distinguish control samples from cancer-positive samples. They also undergo training sessions for odor discrimination. Positive reinforcement is the most common form of training for detection dogs.

At the end of their training, cancer-sniffing dogs have to pass a final test before working on actual samples. Currently, canine cancer detection is only used on samples, not on people. The dogs that pass the training and test can move onto being used to detect cancer in patient samples as an alternative form of medicine.

Next steps 

Modern science wishes to ultimately replace cancer-sniffing dogs with electronic sensors to eliminate errors and biases. Today, however, it may be possible to use a cancer-sniffing dog to detect cancer in you or a loved one by contacting a provider of this service, such as the In Situ Foundation or BioScentDX, Inc.

Alana RedmondAlana Redmond is a content writer that specializes in law and consumer safety. She also works with Torgenson Law, a Phoenix personal injury law firm that specializes in dog bite injuries.

 

Warning signs: 9 dog illness symptoms and what they mean

 

Related Posts

  • Dog nose image for Dog Facts Category page.
    Medical science harnesses the power of dog noses

    Medical science harnesses the power of dog noses to detect…

  • dogs visit hospital
    Dog visits to hospitals benefit owners

    Service animals and trained therapy dogs are common in hospitals,…

  • A grant from Dogs for Joy helps fund the costs of starting and maintaining a facility dog program to place a therapy dog at a pediatric hospital.
    Dogs provide powerful medicine at pediatric hospitals

    A grant from Dogs for Joy helps fund the costs…

  • Chocolate Labrador retriever stares at owner's pregnant belly. Dogs sense pregnancy by smelling hormonal changes.
    Can dogs smell pregnancy?

    Dogs sense pregnancy by smelling hormonal changes. Their heightened sense…

Share this post:

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Pinterest Share on Email Share on Reddit

Filed Under: Dog Health Tagged With: Dog health benefits, Dog senses, Working dogs

« Previous Post
Next Post »

Primary Sidebar

Follow Us

Categories

  • Adoption
  • Dog Breeds
  • Dog Facts
  • Dog Fun
  • Dog Grooming
  • Dog Health
  • Dog Inspirations
  • Dog Training
  • Dog Travel
  • Holidays
  • Home Page
  • Puppies
  • Top Stories

Featured Posts

  • Tricolor Australian shepherd in front of white background. Take steps to stop dog pawing.

    Canine body language: What’s your dog saying with his paws?

  • Cute corgi puppy wrapped in a blanket. Talk with your vet about starting your dog on medication to protect him from parasites including flea and tick prevention, as well as heartworm prevention.

    Puppy training 101: 10 tips to prepare your dog for success

  • Thinking of getting a furry friend? Use the DogsBestLife.com perfect dog breed quiz to find the perfect canine companion.

    Take our dog breed quiz to discover the perfect breed for you!

Tags

Rescue dogPet sitterPet parentstraining tipsWorking dogsPawService dogsYorkshire terrierSeparation anxietyVeterinarianPoodleTwo dogsPotty trainingOld dogsSocializationThanksgivingWaterPit bullPuppy-proofVacation dog careValentine's DaySmall dogsTicksSheddingPetfinder.comPuppy kindergartenRottweilerPandemicPomeranianOutdoor activities

Footer

Quick Links

  • Home
  • Top Stories
  • Blog
  • What We Do
  • About Us
  • Contact Us

Recent Posts

  • Use 5 factors to choose the best veterinarian for your dog
    Research thoroughly and consider location, services, experience, cost, and staff before choosing the right vet for your dog. […]
  • Fight insomnia: 12 tips to help your dog get good sleep
    The most common cause of canine insomnia is pent-up energy. Help your dog sleep all night by ensuring it gets enough exercise. […]
  • Dog fears: 10 ways to fight separation anxiety
    Separation anxiety is one of the most common dog fears. Use our 10 steps to help your dog become more confident and overcome her fear of being left alone. […]
  • Is amoxicillin safe? What antibiotic is most effective for dogs?
    Consult your vet before giving your dog antibiotics. Know when your dog needs medication and watch for allergic reactions. […]

Get Our Newsletter

Get more news to help keep your dog healthy delivered right to your inbox. Sign up for DogsBestLife.com's monthly newsletter.

© Copyright 2023 DogsBestLife.com online magazine · All Rights Reserved · Privacy
Get Our Free Monthly Newsletter

Get more news to help keep your dog healthy delivered right to your inbox. Sign up for DogsBestLife.com's monthly newsletter.