Wednesday, January 13, 2016

Rover Knows Twice as Much as You Think

      I usually listen to the Current from 8:30 AM to 10:00 AM on CBC radio. Sometimes something really catches my attention so that I have to share it in blog land.

     Arlene Weintraub, a science author , has written a book about the contribution of dogs to cancer research. It surprised me what dogs contribute in cancer research.

    Dogs get similar cancers to humans. In some ways dogs receive the same cancer treatment as humans. With dogs some different drugs can be given to them to see what effect they have on the dog's cancer. The dogs have cancer so it's not like some tests where the animal is given a condition and then "Oh let's see what will this do." The dog already has cancer and new drug therapy can be tried. So many things can be learned about a drug therapy that has not been approved for human use.

   What real caught my attention was that they are training dogs to identify blood samples where the person has cancer. A number of blood samples are taken. Most samples are not from people having cancer and some blood samples come from people who do have cancer. Dogs can be very accurate in picking the blood sample where the person has cancer. Some cancers are very difficult to diagnose until it's too late. Ovarian cancer is one where it's difficult to identify early.  They are hoping that dogs can identify blood samples that will tell if the person has ovarian cancer. Dogs can be trained to pick other specific cancers. 

     The dog's sense of smell is adequate to pick up the correct scent. The dog has to concentrate and not get sidetracked to pick up the correct scent. The dog has to be on his game. The dog will pick the sample with cancer by stopping beside the sample and sitting down. The same process happens when dogs are used to search luggage for illicit drugs.

    I know that dogs have a very keen sense of smell but I didn't realize that it could be applied to a cancer diagnosis. It adds more meaning to the phrase a dog is man's best friend.


34 comments:

  1. i knew that some dogs have been known to detect malignant cancer cells in humans. i hadn't heard of this development of having them scent the blood samples taken from patients.

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  2. I think a lot of people don't realize how similar all mammals work on a biological level. That's why they test things on lab rats before they get to humans. If it works on a rat, it'll probably work on us.

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    1. They usually use animals to test for side effects as well.

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  3. Dogs are way smarter than we think. :)

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    1. You are so right and many dog owners don't know that.

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  4. I hear years ago that dogs can smell melanomas on the skin. They have been used as diagnostic tools for that. Now it is interesting that they can smell the cancer cells in the blood! It is a wonder they have minds that work with all those smells that we miss!!

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    1. Usually the oder take the ordinary dog on an adventure. I would never think that each cancer has it's own oder.

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    2. Usually the oder take the ordinary dog on an adventure. I would never think that each cancer has it's own oder.

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    3. For ordinary dogs the smell just takes them on an adventure.

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  5. This would be nice to be able to use, I have lost a few friends and family to this type of cancer. I had met a fellow decades ago who rescued beagles that were being used for throat cancer, they no longer barked, but were still efficient hunters.

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    1. I haven't read Arlene's book but it sound likely that dogs will be used.

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  6. Yes amazing isn't it, I read this too lately.

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    1. From the comments here there have been all kinds of work done with dogs on cancer.

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  7. It's amazing what dogs can do, though I must admit I might be a little suspicious of "diagnosis by dog." (Presumably medical confirmation is required!) I just know how easily Olga gets distracted by a cracker or a sausage. :)

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    1. Ordinary (sorry) can be easily distracted by all the interesting smells. Dogs can be trained to look for one oder.

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  8. Pretty amazing, isn't it? These are such incredible animals.

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    1. I think dogs also have a very high sense of feel. They feel the ground shaking.

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  9. I read about that somewhere else, too. Dogs are truly our best friends, aren't they? :-)

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    1. Yes, our best friends can find us when we're lost and find the bad guy. The police quite often do dog training in my neighborhood.

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  10. Sadly, it isn't economically viable! Hubby's been having PSA tests for years now. Every 3 mos. It is slowly rising, despite his prostate being removed with its cancerous tissue. It could explode at any time, as it is now in his lymph nodes.
    It is an interesting theory!

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    1. I would hope the dogs could find the cancers the medical people can't find.

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  11. I have heard about that, and they are smart animals.

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    1. They're very intelligent and can respond to training very well.

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  12. This is fascinating Red. Man's best friend...indeed. B

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    1. I would hope more comes from the use of dogs.

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    1. It's going to take the medical people some time to get their heads around this.

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  14. I miss having a dog! Maybe again it will be right to own another one! Dogs are so sweet and smart!

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    1. People who've had dos really miss them. I've never had a dog except the one's on the farm.

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  15. I too had heard about dogs detecting cancer cells but this development is new to me. Thanks.

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  16. How interesting! They have such a keen sense of smell, I think it is wonderful to be put to use like this.

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  17. Amazing. I did see my hunting dogs do some powerful smelling and tracking when hunting upland game.

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  18. Hi Red, This is some good news. Pretty amazing what dogs can do with the sense of smell.

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