If dogs can smell cancer...

[Iamnervous]

I read that dogs can smell cancer which is a bummer because my dog had been reacting strangely to my breath/nose/ears and is obsessive about it. Just recently. I have a lump in my neck that's been there for about a year, the doctors seem unconcerned with it. My appetite had been weird but my anxiety has been terrible. My digestion is weird but also...anxiety. So nervous I have some form of cancer. I've been short of breath lately so I am convinced I have lung cancer. I had a ct scan a few months ago and there was no cancers accept they found a very tiny thyroid nodule. I of course think I developed the cancer AFTER the ct scan. I am exhausted. I keep prodding at the lump/lymph node on my neck therefore I don't know if it hurts on it's own or because I'm jabbing it regularly. It does move thankfully. I just can't stand that it hurts so bad because every other thought is lymphoma? Leukemia? Any cancer that has spread to my lymph nodes? I smoked for two years and I quit about 6 months ago. I am a 27 year old female. So scared. I am constantly tired and never have energy because I think I'll over do it...despite the fact that I haven't been diagnosed with anything. I want my life back. :(

[MyNameIsTerry]

There have been a couple of studies where dogs were used to smell breath or urine that were very favourable but the studies were very small. They can smell issues with blood sugar too from sweat. Its quite remarkable really.

When you had that lump, was it after colds or infections and was it painful? What did your doctor say it was?

I think the rest with tiredness and digestion could be attributed to anxiety too which you probably already know. Has your doctor referred you for any therapy to help you to recovery from your anxiety?

[Emilym80]

Hi there,

First of all, I completely agree with Terry. Let me further reassure you;

Not all kinds of cancer can be detected on the breath. Secondly, dogs can smell hundreds of different scents on a person's breath, so there may be something else your dog is interested in.

I hope that helps- all the best :)

[Munchlet]

I went through this phase with my cat a while ago and mine was my mouth/nose area. Do you think perhaps your dog can just smell something you've eaten and that's what it's attracted to?

I know when the HA kicks in it's very easy to focus on the negatives but when my cat does it now I just sit there and she has a sniff and then just bumps my nose with her head and I now see it as her being affectionate and interested in what I've had for my dinner.

I think it's far more likely that it's food your dog is smelling.

The articles I've read where dogs have detected cancer have been where they were pawing at an area and wouldn't leave it alone. I read one woman who said her dog wouldn't leave her breast alone and kept trying to scratch at it and she had early stage breast cancer which was treated all thanks to her dog and another one where a dog kept pawing at a mole which had turned cancerous and again was successfully treated.

The mouth area will produce numerous different scents and smells from food/drinks/cosmetics/toothpaste etc and I think it sounds like your dog is just being interested. Try not to worry.

[Fishmanpa]

One thing I'm convinced of is that animals can sense if you're stressed or hurting. My cat knew something was wrong with me especially during and after treatment. He always was around me or cuddling with me. He was a great comfort.

Positive thoughts

[Iamnervous]

---------- Post added at 05:09 ---------- Previous post was at 05:06 ----------


There have been a couple of studies where dogs were used to smell breath or urine that were very favourable but the studies were very small. They can smell issues with blood sugar too from sweat. Its quite remarkable really.

When you had that lump, was it after colds or infections and was it painful? What did your doctor say it was?

I think the rest with tiredness and digestion could be attributed to anxiety too which you probably already know. Has your doctor referred you for any therapy to help you to recovery from your anxiety?

Thanks. The swollen lymph node or lump has been there for a couple years. Throbs sometimes. Almost seems to swell when I'm anxious but that can't be...I just noticed it always swells when I clean and use products like bleach. Bizarre. Every doctor has been pretty apathetic about it.

[MyNameIsTerry]

I think thats a clue then if its been there a couple of years as you would expect a more serious disease to aggressively develop. Some people develop them due to localised infections (the lymph nodes are supposed to swell as part of the immune system reaction when they detect a localised infection) but in some people they seem to not go down or take a long time.

If a doctor is ok with them being like that, I would try to accept that conclusion as they are very used to dealing with them.

I'm not sure on the bleach thing so ask your doctor. Strong odours can make our throats temporarily swell so maybe its something like that even?