My Dog Knew I had Cancer
About 11 years ago I was diagnosed with STAGE 4 Head and Neck Cancer. One of the worst you can get because it is so close to your brain and your lungs.
For months and months before my diagnosis my Australian Shepard/Border Collie mix would put his big wet nose against my neck (right at the areas where I eventually developed a tumor more than an inch long and quite big around)and he would inhale deeply, have an odd look on his face and walk away.
At the time we all thought it was very funny and rather odd behaviour. Now at this time I had no idea I had cancer.
The other day I was reading about how they have determined that some dogs can detect cancer cells as early as stage 1! In fact some scientific blind tests have been done and some dogs ability to detect cancer is very impressive.
There is a great article this month in the magazine Dogster about this phenomenon and the tests that were run.
So if your dog habitually sniffs one place on your body it might be wise to seek out another opinion. Had I known this then I may have caught my cancer at stage 1 or 2 and not 4.
I am convinced he knew something was wrong with me way before I did. Or the doctors.
For months and months before my diagnosis my Australian Shepard/Border Collie mix would put his big wet nose against my neck (right at the areas where I eventually developed a tumor more than an inch long and quite big around)and he would inhale deeply, have an odd look on his face and walk away.
At the time we all thought it was very funny and rather odd behaviour. Now at this time I had no idea I had cancer.
The other day I was reading about how they have determined that some dogs can detect cancer cells as early as stage 1! In fact some scientific blind tests have been done and some dogs ability to detect cancer is very impressive.
There is a great article this month in the magazine Dogster about this phenomenon and the tests that were run.
So if your dog habitually sniffs one place on your body it might be wise to seek out another opinion. Had I known this then I may have caught my cancer at stage 1 or 2 and not 4.
I am convinced he knew something was wrong with me way before I did. Or the doctors.
