I never considered broad spectrum use of a dog for detection of cancer cells.  I had thought the situation in my own particular case was the relationship I had with my dog.  I will say he was the worst tracking dog you ever laid eyes on.  Galaxy thought that everyone came out on the field just to look at him.  :)  There was however one very different thing about him. . . if I had the smallest cut that caused blood, he would sniff it out.  His nose was different.  He was sensitized to blood in a way that you might consider remarkable. I took him to the office and he would beehive to the next young non menopausal woman.  His ability to smell was different. Galaxy had a very large vocabulary, probably because I had the luxury of raising him from a puppy at my feet.  He was different and remarkable.  His ability to communicate and be disobedient and obstinate is what I attribute to my being here today.  Not the virtues of a GSD, but the itelligence to know that he is right.  He was the same way on the field.  He knew if you were being fair to him, but boy, if you weren't the wrath of Galy came out.  I think in the showlines we would look high and low to still find such a strong alpha male around.  There was no doubt in the world that he had good temperament because he could and would stand a fight, but he was not a fighter.  Always head of the pack but a caring Alpha.  RIP big boy.  So missed and grateful for the time. 

Working Dog Research

 

 
Drawing from the unparalleled wealth of academic, research, and medical resources at the University of Pennsylvania, the Working Dog Center is uniquely positioned to pursue a variety of research, training, and teaching opportunities.
 

A working dog is a highly and specifically trained canine that performs unique and critical tasks to benefit humans and society. 

Historically, working dogs have served as messenger dogs during war time; as helpmates to farmers in the fields; as a helping hand to people with disabilities; and as patrol dogs protecting the ports and entryways to our nation.

Detection dogs, sometimes called “sniffer dogs”, are those that use their sense of smell to identify particular odors (such as explosives, drugs or lost people).  New research points to a dog’s ability to identify infectious diseases and even cancer.

The Penn Vet Working Dog Center

Most dogs in the US are not bred for detection work. Our research assists working dog breeders with critical tools to produce more dogs that embody the temperament and physical characteristics necessary to become successful detection dogs. To improve our nation’s ability to produce, train, and maintain these valuable canine partners, through our research, we look to:  

• Establish uniform standards for evaluating detection dog health or performance
• Develop reliable scientific research to validate optimal training or testing methodology for detection dogs
• Determine the influence of different rearing and training strategies and provide evidence-based recommendations to be applied throughout the industry
• Develop reliable practices to help maintain fitness, maximize performance, and prevent injuries in their canine partners

 

 

One Health

"The Ovarian Cancer Symptom Awareness Organization (OCSA) has embraced the Working Dog Center's mission as it ties nicely with the One Health approach we've taken in our awareness campaign activities. Our sponsorship provides a valuable and tangible illustration of how people, pets, and veterinarians working together can help raise awareness about the silent symptoms of cancer."

– Vallie Szymanski, Executive Director & Co-Founder, Ovarian Cancer Symptom Awareness Organization.

 

Our Studies

 

9/11 Medical Surveillance

Hydration Strategies

AKC Reunite DNA Bank

Puppy Foundational Program

Ovarian Cancer Detection

Diabetes Alert Dogs

Gait Analysis

If you go to vet.upenn.edu you will find lots of info on their research studies & you can apply to participate in this summers' clinical studies which include their ovarian cancer research. I can assure you, Penn is an Ivy League University, not some scammer. They are changing the future for cancer patients.

And Sunshine, so glad to hear from you!

jackie harris

 

Same here Jackie.  Gosh I so miss that dog!  In rereading the threads, I just relived a period of my past.  Thursday I go for another big check. I am not concerned because I know I am cancer free.  8 years now.  How time flies.  ;)  Older and wiser.  Don't want to fight on forums.  Want to live.

Couldn't agree with you more! And good luck anyway, you deserve nothing but happiness!

jackie harris

Still keeping you in my thoughts and prayers, Jackie!  Be well!

You too, Sunshine!

Thank you SS, I have my big check up in June. They'll be doing a tissue biopsy & CT scan then, I kind of feel like that's my next big hurdle!

jackie harris

Today I took Dallas vom Eisenherz to have lunch with my mom. During lunch, he seemed really really interested in her calf/lower leg area. He totally ignores people, mostly, even when they pet him and my mom doesn't like dogs, so this had nothing to do with any sort of affection being wanted or offered by either party. I asked her why he was so interested in her leg and she said she didn't know. Then she said "oh, I have a sore there." I told her she should check it out sooner than later, the way he was so zero'd in on it. She's going to get it looked at next week. I'm very curious if it's skin cancer and not a sore. This dog also alerts to low blood sugar, so I would not be surprised if he was capable of more, or rather, that he chose to share it with us. I think nearly all dogs are capable. It's the communication that breaks down. 

I think it's interesting to note that some dogs alert to changes in their owners or handlers baselines, & others are able to pick up on problems in strangers. It's very cool that we are so bonded that our dogs alert to our changes; but really exciting that they can smell certain cells or metabolic changes from strangers, or cell samples, as they're doing at U of Penn. I never took my dogs even to the club level of competition, but we did start training & we did tracking. That gave my girl a format to communicate to me that she found something. I think it's really interesting to think that if more pets were given a better format to communicate with their owners, that more silent killers could be found before they kill. If nothing else, studies like those at U of Penn give credibility to people like me, who go to their health care providers saying, "My dog found something."

jackie harris

 

 

 

 

 

Posted by Laughing Colours on Friday, February 20, 2015