{"id":2771,"date":"2023-08-15T12:13:02","date_gmt":"2023-08-15T12:13:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nalahealth.dog\/za\/?p=2771"},"modified":"2023-08-29T08:55:26","modified_gmt":"2023-08-29T08:55:26","slug":"dogs-sixth-sense-detecting-disease","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nalahealth.dog\/za\/dogs-sixth-sense-detecting-disease\/","title":{"rendered":"Dogs’ Sixth Sense: detecting disease"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Man’s best friend is known for loyalty, playfulness, and an uncanny ability to sense our emotions. But did you know that dogs can also detect certain medical changes in humans<\/a>? From smelling the onset of a seizure to detecting diseases, our canine companions never cease to amaze us with their heightened senses. While all dogs have an impressive olfactory system compared to humans, certain breeds are particularly renowned for their extraordinary scenting abilities such as Bloodhounds, Basset Hounds, Beagles, German Shepherds, Pointers and Labrador Retrievers to name a few.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Beyond their functional roles, a dog’s sense of smell plays a crucial part in how they perceive the world, interpret their surroundings, and communicate with other dogs. Their noses provide a window into a world that remains largely mysterious and inaccessible to humans, making their sense of smell a true canine superpower.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Canine Superpower:<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Their Remarkable Sense of Smell<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Dogs have about 100 million olfactory receptors<\/a> in their noses, with some dogs such as Bloodhounds sporting an impressive 300 million receptors<\/a>. Humans have only 6 million receptors and a dog’s sense of smell is between 10,000 to 100,000 times more sensitive than that of humans. This allows them to pick up scents and changes that we can’t even begin to detect. Their brain is also primarily wired to analyze these scents, making them exceptional at detecting small changes in the human body merely from smelling a person’s breath or body odour.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dogs\u2019 heightened sense of smell has been an important part of their domestication and cemented their role as invaluable partners in various human endeavours. For centuries, dogs have been employed in hunting due to their ability to track prey over great distances. In modern times, their olfactory prowess is harnessed in search and rescue missions, bomb detection, drug interdiction, and even in the medical field for early detection of conditions like cancer or changes in blood sugar levels.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Ways dogs signal disease<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Dogs are deeply attuned to their human companions. They have evolved alongside humans for thousands of years, honing an exceptional ability to detect shifts in our behaviours, emotions, and even physical health. When an owner is experiencing health issues, whether acute or chronic, many dogs will display noticeable behavioural changes in response. Here are some common behavioural shifts observed in dogs when their owners face health challenges:<\/p>\n\n\n\n