October 26, 2015. Karin Gibson, 62, is the proud owner of Paddy, an adorable 5 year old Labrador. His faithful four-legged companion detected the first signs of his mistress’s cancer and saved her life.
An alert behavior change
Returning from vacation, the former science teacher notices a strange change in behavior from her Labrador. While Paddy has always been a loving companion, his insistent and unusual displays of affection alerted Ms Gibson.
“He’s gotten hyper-tacky. He jumped on me, felt my breath, looked me straight in the eye, he constantly rubbed himself on my chest… I found that strange and I said to myself that it was better to consult. »Explains the retiree from Portsmouth to the BBC cameras.
A life saved in return
Her biopsy and mammogram confirmed that she had early cancer in her right breast and she was operated on 2 weeks later. With a few chemotherapy sessions, she should now be able to cope.
When Mrs. Gibson took in Paddy a few years earlier, it was still an abandoned puppy. His companion can be proud of having returned the favor. “I saved his life and now he’s the one who saved mine,” says the 60-year-old. Without him, she probably wouldn’t have been to the doctor in time.
Dog smells for the fight against cancer
Cancer research shows that some tumors produce volatile molecules that can be detected by dogs. With 200 million olfactory cells, their sense of smell is highly developed and 30% of their brain is devoted to the analysis of odors. There are also studies underway on the detection of cancer thanks to army dogs, through urine. The tests are convincing with results ranging from 93% to 98% according to the Medical Detection Dogs association and the GRC-UPMC research group.
They say that the dog is man’s most faithful friend and this story is a nice proof. In any case, the love story between Paddy and Karin which is not ready to end there. As are advances in cancer research.
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source: Medical Detection Dogs |
