Can Dogs Smell Cancer?

“All over the world, major universities are researching the therapeutic value of pets in our society and the number of hospitals, nursing homes, prisons and mental institutions which are employing full-time pet therapists and animals is increasing daily.” ~ Betty White, American Actress, Animal Activist, and Author of Pet Love

ScienceDaily (Jan. 6, 2006) — In a society where lung and breast cancers are leading causes of cancer death worldwide, early detection of the disease is highly desirable. In a new scientific study, researchers present astonishing new evidence that man’s best friend, the dog, may have the capacity to contribute to the process of early cancer detection.

In this study which will be published in the March 2006 issue of the journal Integrative Cancer Therapies published by SAGE Publications, researchers reveal scientific evidence that a dog’s extraordinary scenting ability can distinguish people with both early and late stage lung and breast cancers from healthy controls. The research, which was performed in California, was recently documented by the BBC in the United Kingdom, and is soon to be aired in the United States.

Other scientific studies have documented the abilities of dogs to identify chemicals that are diluted as low as parts per trillion. The clinical implications of canine olfaction first came to light in the case report of a dog alerting its owner to the presence of a melanoma by constantly sniffing the skin lesion. Subsequent studies published in major medical journals confirmed the ability of trained dogs to detect both melanomas and bladder cancers. The new study, led by Michael McCulloch of the Pine Street Foundation in San Anselmo, California, and Tadeusz Jezierski of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Institute of Genetics and Animal Breeding, is the first to test whether dogs can detect cancers only by sniffing the exhaled breath of cancer patients.

In this study, five household dogs were trained within a short 3-week period to detect lung or breast cancer by sniffing the breath of cancer participants. The trial itself consisted of 86 cancer patients (55 with lung cancer and 31 with breast cancer) and a control sample of 83 healthy patients. All cancer patients had recently been diagnosed with cancer through biopsy-confirmed conventional methods such as a mammogram, or CAT scan and had not yet undergone any chemotherapy treatment. During the study, the dogs were presented with breath samples from the cancer patients and the controls, captured in a special tube. Dogs were trained to give a positive identification of a cancer patient by sitting or lying down directly in front of a test station containing a cancer patient sample, while ignoring control samples. Standard, humane methods of dog training employing food rewards and a clicker, as well as assessment of the dog’s behavior by observers blinded to the identity of the cancer patient and control samples, were used in the experiment.

The results of the study showed that dogs can detect breast and lung cancer with sensitivity and specificity between 88% and 97%. The high accuracy persisted even after results were adjusted to take into account whether the lung cancer patients were currently smokers. Moreover, the study also confirmed that the trained dogs could even detect the early stages of lung cancer, as well as early breast cancer. The researchers concluded that breath analysis has the potential to provide a substantial reduction in the uncertainty currently seen in cancer diagnosis, once further work has been carried out to standardize and expand this methodology.

This study was supported by the MACH Foundation (Fairfax, CA), Guide Dogs for the Blind (San Rafael, CA) and Frank and Carol Rosemayr (Kentfield, CA).

Adapted from materials provided by SAGE Publications, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.

Source:  Just One More Pet - 04.27.09

Posted:  True Health is True Wealth

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Adopting Senior Pets For Senior Humans Helps All

Adopt a Senior Pet…

Senior animals can be superior companions for human seniors. They aren’t overly energetic (like puppies and kittens), don’t need to be housebroken and know not to scratch or chew the furniture. Moreover, it’s not true that “old dogs can’t learn new tricks” 

— Broadway animal trainer William Berloni adopts all of his performing animals from shelters and prefers mature animals, saying they are happy to accept new living patterns in exchange for obtaining “a new leash on life.” And, since young animals are the most frequently adopted, you’ll also have the satisfaction of knowing that you may well have saved your new pet’s life.

Sara Whalen of Pets Alive

Posted:  JustOneMorePet  -  http://justonemorepet.wordpress.com

Stroke Heroes and Their Pets

I have two cats. Buddy is a large tabby tom cat that I found in a snow bank when he was a kitten. He was very young, weak, thin, and had frostbite on the tip of his ear and part of a paw. I can only guess that a thoughtless owner of a litter of kittens tried to get rid of them. I only found one.  Lucy is a smaller tabby queen that I inherited when she was a kitten. She is my granddaughter's cat.  I am the permanent foster mom since my granddaughter is not allowed to have another cat in her apartment building. Buddy and Lucy are best of friends. One entertains the other and they are usually found rolled up in a big ball of fur on the couch. They are strictly indoor cats.

Over 16 years after having two strokes, I've had a dog, bird, and now the cats. The bird was a cockatiel named Kato that I taught to talk, or perhaps the bird taught me to talk too as I was aphasic (a language problem caused by stroke or damage to the brain which leads to trouble speaking, understanding, writing, or reading) post-stroke. Eventually, the bird talked so much that I couldn't keep him quiet! When I was on the phone he must have thought I was talking to him and would go on and on about how pretty he was and screeched out to "Be quiet! I'm studying!" It wasn't difficult to figure out that the old bird had picked that quip up from my years at the university.

The dog was a miniature schnauzer named Cindy. She was our family pet when the kids were young. Cindy used to dance on her hind legs when we played the piano. I'm not sure if it was because she wanted to do a jig or because she wanted us to stop playing. Either way, she added great joy to our family.

Now, the children have grown and I live alone. But I am never lonely with Buddy and Lucy around. As a pet owner I have the responsibility of making sure they are fed each day and are provided fresh water. I make sure they are current with their immunizations and vet checks. I brush them at least once a week. And I talk to them too. Not that they understand me but they do react to the intonation of my voice. Believe it or not, they sleep with me too. No matter how many times I've sent them from my room they always come back to cuddle. Buddy curls up by my abdomen and Lucy wraps around my lower legs. Everyone is comfortable, except when I move they seem disturbed and meow their discontent.

Pets are important to all of us. After a stroke, pets can be wonderful housemates as well as giving us an opportunity to care for something else other than ourselves. Pets can heal our souls too. Cindy made me laugh when she danced to music. The cockatiels comb was always messy and he'd cock his head and look at you just to make you smile. The cats play with my knitting yarn then run and hide as if to say, "I didn't do it!" All of these little creatures have added enjoyment to my life. They have helped me to keep depression, a side effect of stroke, at bay. They have helped me realize that I am an important individual in their lives as well as my own. 

by  Cleo Hutton @ MyHeartCentral

Source:  Just One More Pet

Your Pet and Your Health

Many of us agree that we should do everything within our power to make sure that our companion animals enjoy the best possible health.  But did you know that simply by being a part of your life, your dog or cat could actually help you to be not only happier but healthier, too?

Of course you did.  It’s all part of the privilege (and fun!) of being a pet parent.  What you may not know is that there’s plenty of science to back it up.  A wealth of knowledge regarding the health benefits associated with having companion animals has been accumulated over the last two decades, including numerous research studies in the U.S. and abroad.

A study published in The British Journal of Health Psychology reports that people who have companion animals tended to be healthier than those who did not.  Additionally, when a dog was part of the family, the members had fewer minor ailments, lower blood pressure and lower cholesterol.  Although the explanation for these advantages is unclear, researchers speculated that all benefits could be accounted for by reduced levels of stress, possibly due to increased physical activity and levels of social interaction.

The positive effects of having a canine companion have also been chronicled in research published in the American Journal of Cardiology.  The year-long study documented the effect of having a canine companion in 369 patients who had suffered an acute heart attack.  The positive effects were nothing short of extraordinary!  The patients who had a dog in the home had a much better chance of survival.  Over 7% of patients without a dog died during the study, compared with only 1% of those who had a canine companion.

Researchers at the University of Leicester found that when pets are in a household, children six years and younger develop social skills at an accelerated rate.  Additionally, these children tend to have better coordination, improved confidence, superior communication skills and are even less likely to have allergies!

The British Medical Journal concluded that pets serve a vital need for socialization, especially for those at a higher risk for isolation, like those with physical limitations that might prevent opportunities for social interaction.  Most medical professionals agree that the broader the network of social contacts, the better we are able to deal with difficult life issues.  This study, and others like it, supports the idea that this need for social relations can be fulfilled equally well by companion animals as with people.

And a survey by the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association revealed that bringing a companion animal to the office resulted in higher worker productivity.

These and many other studies reinforce what we as pet parents have suspected all along … that our beloved four-footed companions are integral parts of our families, enriching our lives beyond measure.

Source:  Healthy Pet Net