Training dog to detect cancer in humans by smell

Abstract

The olfactory ability of dogs is undeniable and men have used it throughout history in different activities, such as: detection of explosives and narcotics, as well as search and rescue activities after natural disasters, among others. Implementing the ability of dogs to detect, isolate and recognize volatile odor molecules in order to detect the presence or absence of cancer in human beings is a recent topic under study. The purpose of this paper was to make a review of dog training for detecting cancer in human beings through smell. Cases have been reported since 1989 where certain behaviors of pet dogs alerted their owners to the presence of this disease. The first scientific study on this matter was published in 2004, where dogs were trained to detect bladder cancer through urine samples. Scientific literature about this matter is scarce, but the results from these studies provide enough evidence; even though there is still a lot to investigate on the matter of early detection of cancer through this method, the olfactory capacity of dogs to identify and isolate odors is confirmed in the different studies, as well as the progress made in the training techniques with positive reinforcement for using the dog’s natural features for the benefit of human beings without causing them physical or behavioral damage.