My dog is making me think I have Cancer!

[coxwit]

My dog has been acting bizarre the past few weeks...he stares at me with his tail between his legs all the time. Then I hear my mother in law saying "dogs know when people have cancer they can sense it"...my health anxiety has also been extremely high through this same period. Are there any other dog owners out there who can reassure me that I don't have Cancer and their dog behaves oddly when they are suffering from high anxiety?

Andy

[doglover]

Hi Andy
Dogs are very sensitive to your feelings, if you are sad/stressed etc then your dog will sense it. Maybe with the problems you are suffering, your dog is not getting the same routine or attention as normal and he's just looking to you for some reassurance that everything is okay. I have heard of dogs sensing when someone has had cancer but that was a malignant melanoma where the dog constantly sniffed and licked the mole which is nothing like you are describing.
I am sure you do NOT HAVE CANCER!
Donna x

[coxwit]

Thanks Donna. That's really helped and lifted a load off. My big HA fear being colon cancer I didn't need something else re-inforcing it.

Thanks again

Andy

[nomorepanic]

Animals sense when we are not well - I know my cats do - they come and sit with me

It does NOT mean cancer- it can be when I have a cold or run down.

They just want to show their affection that is all

[nomorepanic]

Thanks Donna. That's really helped and lifted a load off. My big HA fear being colon cancer I didn't need something else re-inforcing it.

Thanks again

Andy

You can get tests for colon cancer you know if it is really really worrying you.

The procedure is not nice so I wouldn't do it unless you had a good reason!

[coxwit]

My GP and my GI are reasssuring me I don't have the main symptoms, black blood in stool, only 43 years old, etc., however she gave me the Fecal Occult Blood Test (FOBT) Kit and said if I want to I can submit it to reassure myself. Problem is my psychiatrist said that test is so sensitive it will give you a posative reading if you make your gums bleed when brushing your teeth.So, as I always have (excuse me here) post nasal drip with blood every winter (sinuses checked out fine with 3 ENT's nothing wrong) I am holding off with the FOBT kit until my sinus returns to normal so that I don't get a false posative because of that blood being swallowed (gross I know). A false posative on that test would send my Health Anxiety right off the deep end (basket case time) until a colonoscopy confirms one way or the other. I do have IBS and have brought some of my other symptoms under control recently by regularly taking acidipholous bacteria so every little bit of reassurance helps. I have also just started Prozac for the first time a couple of weeks back and I am not sure if a side effect may be some heightened anxiety right now. The dog thing did really have me bothered for a few days though.

Thanks

Andy

[Janieb]

bit of an odd thing to say to people who have HA. I know they say pets can pick it up, mine would be to dozy but I think people are right they might pick up on your emotions more.

Like you said you don't have any signs or symptoms and Colon Cancer can be prevented to a degree by lifestyle choices if you reduce the threat you may feel better. And maybe prt the dog a bit more maybe he/she was just feeling sad it'self

Take care,
Janie

[peach]

from what ive heard on that matter, is that only some dogs smell and react to cancer in their owners...im not sure if its the bond they have, or whether they are very smart dogs..either way,i have also heard that they smell the area on the body where the cancer is, and keep sniffing that area and react anxiously. also, dogs who are trained to smell cancers will find them.apparently they are able to smell the cancer when it is so small it is not detectable by tests...a few servival stories i read was that the dog worried the owner with its frantic sniffing and scratching in one area, the owner got it checked and found the cancer in a very early stage, so was able to save patient. i really dont think you have anything to worry about. when my dogs sniff me i worry too, but usually realise, ive either held another friends pet, or have been eating meat and dropped it on the spot they are sniffing.

i think it would be a great idea if they trained dogs to sniff cancer and put them in the clinics, would save blood tests and sounds more effective anyway. id be happy to go every six months to get sniffed, knowing if anything did come up, it would be caught very early.

[flinty90]

well on a lighter note i hope your all wrong cos my dog will regularly try and get a sniff of everyones crotch that walks through our front door lol... im positive you are fine,

the dogs will be responding to your mood and obviously trying to tell you what her wants rather than anything sinister im sure, our dog always goes off in a huff when we dont take her for a walk its like a teenager moaning at you lol..

hope you feel better soon

Flinty !!

[Gryphoenix]

I remember seeing a thing on tv where a woman had anxiety and panics I think and she was very tense and nervous in the interview with her dog, and the dog whisperer guy was telling her how her dog can sense that in her. So actually your dog might be reacting to your anxiety and not anything physical! Remember, animals can smell fear.