View Full Version : Can dogs detect cancer?
I know this might sound silly but I read today that some people have been diagnosed with bowel cancer after suspecting something was wrong because their dogs would wait outside the bathroom door. This scared me as my dog quite often follows me to the bathroom and sits outside. As bowel cancer is my biggest fear I cant stop thinking maybe she's trying to tell me something.
I need to stop overthinking!
unsure_about_this
27-03-18, 11:25
The last dog my Uncle had the dog always use to hang around the door for both him and his wife, he does not cancer,
Thanks for the reply, that really helps.
unsure_about_this
27-03-18, 11:54
I do have HA myself, but the dog always wanted to know seem lost, he wife does not have cancer, she is a nurse so she would know signs. I think some dogs do it for attention.
I know there may have been articles in the paper about dogs can spot cancer, but belive this is rare.
venusbluejeans
27-03-18, 12:23
that is just normal for dogs.... they like to have company so will wait outside the door... it is a sign your dog loves you.
Annaboodle
27-03-18, 12:45
That's what dogs do. They follow you about to be close to you.
I'm 100% sure animals can detect something amiss but not by sitting outside the door to the bathroom. The individuals in the story had to have had other symptoms that raised the animal's awareness. I don't think I've ever gone to the bathroom without my Pixie Bob following me. He's done it since he was a kitten. In fact, he associates me getting a shower with me leaving and gets somewhat aggressive in the mornings. He'll grab my leg and nip at me to keep me from leaving :)
That being said, he knew something was up with me prior to my diagnosis. Mind you, and this is important, I had symptoms (the swollen hard node that was growing). He would come to bed and sniff around my neck and cuddle up close to it. He was also much more attentive to me. I do believe animals can sense things like cancer however Rainbow, you've been triggered by an article, have no symptoms of a serious illness and your anxiety is turning it into something to worry about :lac:
Positive thoughts
FMP is right dogs noses are highly sophisticated in picking up on all sorts of different smells that's why the police use them as well as the army. I saw a documentary where there was 10 glass phials in a caroulsel now for the interesting part 7 of the 10 samples (urine) was completely normal out of the remaining 3 phials they had various things wrong only 1 of the 3 had cancer present. The dog was let out of another room and took a few seconds to sit down next to the phial which had cancer agents in it. test not strictly conclusive so they put the dog back in a separate room collected the phials and put them all back in the caroulsel in a totally different order and span the caroulsel again let the dog out again within seconds it again correctly identified the phial with cancer test now conclusive so this is awesome I knew dogs where clever but this is truly amazing.
Another case with a cat where it was constantly clawing the owners breast naturally the owner thought nothing of it but it kept happening and the owner went to her dr's and yes it was cancer, not trying to scare any one or trigger HA off but it just shows how powerful animal's senses can be far better than us :)ATB
I'm 100% sure animals can detect something amiss but not by sitting outside the door to the bathroom. The individuals in the story had to have had other symptoms that raised the animal's awareness. I don't think I've ever gone to the bathroom without my Pixie Bob following me. He's done it since he was a kitten. In fact, he associates me getting shower with me leaving and gets somewhat aggressive in the mornings. He'll grab my leg and nip at me to keep me from leaving :)
That being said, he knew something was up with me prior to my diagnosis. Mind you, and this is important, I had symptoms (the swollen hard node that was growing). He would come to bed and sniff around my neck and cuddle up close to it. He was also much more attentive to me. I do believe animals can sense thinks like cancer however Rainbow, you've been triggered by an article, have no symptoms of a serious illness and your anxiety is turning it into something to worry about :lac:
Positive thoughts
My dog always sits beside me but doesn't behave any differently from usual. The symptoms i've had is a flare up of my ibs over the last 19 months due to my anxiety. I constantly worry and I overreact to anything I hear about cancer, always imagine it must be a sign.
---------- Post added at 14:03 ---------- Previous post was at 14:02 ----------
FMP is right dogs noses are highly sophisticated in picking up on all sorts of different smells that's why the police use them as well as the army. I saw a documentary where there was 10 glass phials in a caroulsel now for the interesting part 7 of the 10 samples (urine) was completely normal out of the remaining 3 phials they had various things wrong only 1 of the 3 had cancer present. The dog was let out of another room and took a few seconds to sit down next to the phial which had cancer agents in it. test not strictly conclusive so they put the dog back in a separate room collected the phials and put them all back in the caroulsel in a totally different order and span the caroulsel again let the dog out again within seconds it again correctly identified the phial with cancer test now conclusive so this is awesome I knew dogs where clever but this is truly amazing.
Another case with a cat where it was constantly clawing the owners breast naturally the owner thought nothing of it but it kept happening and the owner went to her dr's and yes it was cancer, not trying to scare any one or trigger HA off but it just shows how powerful animal's senses can be far better than us :)ATB
Sorry but your post has put me more on edge
My dog always sits beside me but doesn't behave any differently from usual. The symptoms i've had is a flare up of my ibs over the last 19 months due to my anxiety. I constantly worry and I overreact to anything I hear about cancer, always imagine it must be a sign.
---------- Post added at 14:03 ---------- Previous post was at 14:02 ----------
Sorry but your post has put me more on edge rainbow sorry and that was not my intention atall :hugs:ATB
To go off of what Bigboy said, yes, there are dogs that can detect cancer in urine (among other things). But they are TRAINED to do so. I have a Cocker spaniel with an amazing nose, and we've done nosework activities together where he'll find and alert to a specific scent. He didn't come programmed to alert to any scent, especially not something that isn't food. :D But with training, he can. Just like those dogs.
He goes to the bathroom with me as well. It's really less of a cancer alert and more of an attachment and the fact that he just wants to be with me.
To go off of what Bigboy said, yes, there are dogs that can detect cancer in urine (among other things). But they are TRAINED to do so. I have a Cocker spaniel with an amazing nose, and we've done nosework activities together where he'll find and alert to a specific scent. He didn't come programmed to alert to any scent, especially not something that isn't food. :D But with training, he can. Just like those dogs.
He goes to the bathroom with me as well. It's really less of a cancer alert and more of an attachment and the fact that he just wants to be with me.Exactly Poppy its a bond between man and his best friend and that all it is :yesyes: ATB
If that was the case, I am in deep trouble, because my dog lays on my feet while I go to the bathroom. They just want to be with us, they love us. All it is, plain and simple, enjoy it.
My dogs do they same, they have to be around me when I go potty or take a bath. Same with my cats, they flip out if I shut them out of the bathroom.
I have heard of dogs detecting cancer but they keep sniffing at an area and try to dig at it.
As others have said dogs have been trained to detect cancer. What your dog is doing is just normal dog behaviour.
Dogs have something magical about them. The Briard we had as our family dog when i was growing up would go to the door 5 minutes before my Dad pulled into the driveway everyday, it's not that my Dad got home at the same time everyday and no way could he hear his car.:shrug:
I think dogs can detect smells that are different from normal. For example, they can detect a UTI in urine. The fact that a dog acts different around you may be nothing to do with smell but it could also be a non serious health problem. Dogs can just detect a change, they don't know what it is.
ShaunRyder
28-03-18, 16:11
If that's true then my whole family must have bowel cancer as my dog waits for everyone who goes in to the toilet!
Your dog is just showing affection, don't worry!
MyNameIsTerry
28-03-18, 16:16
If that's true then my whole family must have bowel cancer as my dog waits for everyone who goes in to the toilet!
Your dog is just showing affection, don't worry!
Or saying "for God's sake stop eating those sprouts, you do realise how powerful my sense of smell is?!!!" :winks:
I think it is the normal thing for your pets to cuddle up to you and follow you about.
They sense what time you come and go. We had two dogs that did this.
We had them for sixteen years and we have had illness , but no cancer.
We are still breathing:)
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