Meet the Dogs Being Trained to Sniff Out Bowel Cancer
The UK’s First Canine Cancer Detectives
These clever dogs are the first in the UK to be trained to sniff out bowel cancer.
A Ground-Breaking Study
The Medical Detection Dogs Charity began a ground-breaking study in 2024 to teach seven pooches how to detect tumors simply by smelling urine samples from hospital patients.
Meet the Bowel Cancer Dogs
Now Cocker Spaniels Mango, Callie and Dotty, Labradors Hetty, Rosie and Jodie, and Flat-coated Retriever Willow are showing real signs of success.
The Training Program
The training program involved early scent training, learning the “game” in which they had to detect a disease in sample pots of urine.
The sample sizes get smaller, and the dogs eventually need to learn to sniff the disease out in samples from patients with other conditions.
The Detection Process
Sample pots from Hull University Teaching Hospitals and are placed on interactive metal stands designed by The Open University, which feed through to a computer. Every sniff is logged, and the dogs tell humans with a signal—like standing still—if they detect cancer.
The dogs are then rewarded with treats and cuddles.
The Potential Impact
The charity hopes the dogs will deliver an accurate and more sensitive early-stage bowel cancer detection method quicker than humans, which could improve healthier outcomes and help save lives.
The Future of Cancer Detection
The dogs are also trained to sniff out Parkinson’s disease, pseudomonas, COVID-19, Addison’s disease, and heart conditions like postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome [POTS].
Conclusion
The dogs are showing promising results, but the charity needs to prove they can detect bowel cancer through a series of blind tests. If successful, this could revolutionize the way we detect bowel cancer and potentially save thousands of lives.
FAQs
Q: How many dogs are being trained to detect bowel cancer?
A: Seven dogs are being trained to detect bowel cancer.
Q: What is the training program like?
A: The training program involves early scent training, learning the “game” in which they had to detect a disease in sample pots of urine.
Q: How do the dogs detect the disease?
A: The dogs detect the disease by sniffing the urine samples and giving a signal, such as standing still, if they detect cancer.
Q: How long does the training program take?
A: The training program is ongoing, but the charity aims to have the results in a few months.
Q: What other diseases are the dogs trained to detect?
A: The dogs are trained to detect Parkinson’s disease, pseudomonas, COVID-19, Addison’s disease, and heart conditions like postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome [POTS].
