--- title: "Can Dogs Smell Cancer?" id: "238140" type: "post" slug: "can-dogs-smell-cancer" published_at: "2022-11-14T14:30:00+00:00" modified_at: "2022-11-14T14:30:00+00:00" url: "https://www.petland-dalton.com/can-dogs-smell-cancer/" markdown_url: "https://www.petland-dalton.com/can-dogs-smell-cancer.md" excerpt: "Dogs have helped humans out over hundreds of years. From rescuing people, to tracking missing persons, to detecting bombs, to herding sheep. One of the most amazing abilities that dogs are also known for is their ability to detect certain..." taxonomy_category: - "Petland" --- ![Can Dogs Smell Cancer?](https://www.petland-dalton.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Can-Dogs-Smell-Cancer.jpg)[Home](https://www.petland-dalton.com/) / [Blog](https://www.petland-dalton.com/blog/) / [Petland](https://www.petland-dalton.com/category/petland/) / **Can Dogs Smell Cancer?** [Petland](https://www.petland-dalton.com/category/petland/) # Can Dogs Smell Cancer? November 14, 2022 · 3 min read · Petland Dalton, Georgia [Stay connected via Google News Follow us for the latest pet updates and guides.](https://www.google.com/preferences/source?q=petland-dalton.com) Dogs have helped humans out over hundreds of years. From rescuing people, to tracking missing persons, to detecting bombs, to herding sheep. One of the most amazing abilities that dogs are also known for is their ability to detect certain types of cancers in people. Recent studies have confirmed that certain trained dogs may be able to detect cancer in people about 40% of the time. Although this is very far from being perfected, it does go to show just how amazing dogs are. ![Image](https://petlandblog.lehighvalleywebdesigns.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Can-Dogs-Smell-Cancer-Image.jpg) ## **How do Dogs Detect this?** Dogs have an incredible sense of smell. Our fur-legged friends have up to 300 million olfactory receptors in their nose. To compare, the average person only has about six million olfactory receptors, making a dog’s nose forty times more sensitive than our noses! This is why dogs are commonly used in search and rescue missions, as they can trace a human scent for miles. When a dog smells, it actually smells in 3D. Their nose has been an amazing tool for their survival for thousands of years and continues to be their number one sense. ## Do All Dogs Smell Cancer? Untrained dogs do not have the ability to recognize cancer. Dogs that have this ability require a lot of training and testing. Currently, dogs that are trained to detect cancer are only being trained in a trial process. There is still much more research that needs to be completed before dogs can be used as a medically reliable detection source. Enjoying this read? You'll love our puppies. Adorable, vet-checked pups looking for their forever homes — available now. [Meet our puppies](https://www.petland-dalton.com/puppies-for-sale/) ## Will Doctors Use Eventually Dogs to Detect Cancer? It is very unlikely that a dog will be used as the only way to detect cancer, especially with all of the modern technology that exists today. It has not been fully determined whether dogs can be reliably trained to smell cancer at this point in time. At least not on a consistent basis. Proving that this method of cancer detection is accurate enough to use very well could be many years away, if ever. Even if we do reach the point where a dog can accurately detect cancer, it would be very difficult to train a dog to communicate what they have smelled without further testing being administered. ## **What Types of Cancer do Dogs Pick Up On?** - Breast cancer and lung cancer can at times be detected by sniffing the breath of patients. In these studies, it is thought that the dogs sensed biochemical differences in the exhalation of subjects with diagnosed cancer and subjects with no known cancer. - Bladder cancer and prostate cancer are also forms of cancer that certain dogs can pick up on, by sniffing the urine of patients. - Colorectal cancer has been detected by dogs too, by sniffing patients’ exhaled breathing and their stool samples. - Ovarian tumors can be hit on, by sniffing patient tumor samples and blood samples. - Cervical cancer is also a type of cancer that a dog is capable of finding, by sniffing patient biopsy samples. Although this type of cancer detection is a long way from being fully trusted, it is just another example at how amazing dogs are. Hopefully one day our fur-legged friends will be able to detect diseased as well as they currently assist humans in various other things. 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They tumble into the season with wide-eyed wonder, tiny… November 30, 2025 ``` Petland Dalton 997 Google reviews Write a review Posted on Google Leahnna Queen Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Gotten wonderful birds there that are hand tamed and raised by the management team They have a wonderful bird section in their store for toys and food. Pups are pricey, but I’ve gotten a couple there that have been SUPER! Wouldn’t trade them for the world. LOVE THEM 🥰 Posted on Google Mae Castoe Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. I love the place so much!!!!! I played with a cute dog and got to hold A ferret and hamsters and rabbits, and even a parakeet! It took one star off because me and my cousin were literally crying over not getting a hamster and dog!!! Posted on Google Naomi Woody Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Braelyn was amazing she went above and beyond when I called to check about a ferret, she was so amazing I drove almost 2 hours away just to purchase her. Great experience! Posted on Google David Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. I really enjoy taking care of animals! The moment I walked in, everyone was SOO nice! All the dogs are precious, 🐶 and the people who work there are amazing. They always have such kind personalities, and the dogs are like little babies:) I love holding them! They’re all well cared for and the place is so clean and feels like home It’s very sanitized, and they provide hand sanitizer for you to use! It’s such a nice environment, and the hamsters, rabbits, and birds are adorable. The fish are really cool! And the dogs are all vaccinated <3 This has to be one of my favorite places! ❤️🫶🏻 ```