Soulful Eyes and a Wet Nose: Canines Understand

There have been many difficult times in my life that canine companions have provided a snuggle and a listening ear. Honestly, sometimes this comfort lasts longer than the human support, especially in the wee hours of the morning. When I wake up at 2:00 a.m. and my human companion is no longer there, my little Doodlebug is.

A2026 study excerpted by the National Institutes of Health indicates that cancer patients who owned dogs had a significantly lower five-year mortality risk compared to those who did not. Yes, it’s encouraging to know that research proves what pet owners know.

“Surveys of cancer survivors indicate that dog walking significantly increases daily light physical activity. This sustained activity can enhance cardiopulmonary function and reduce muscle atrophy, ultimately improving quality of life and potentially influencing survival outcomes,” note the four authors of the well-researched study. “Additionally, studies highlight the role of canine companionship in alleviating depressive symptoms, reducing loneliness and mitigating social isolation, providing psychological and social explanations for the observed protective effect of dog ownership on five-year survival rates in cancer patients.” The cancer treatment process often involves psychological challenges such as depression and anxiety, both linked to poor prognosis. The unconditional companionship, emotional support and motivation provided by pets may help reduce loneliness and social isolation, fostering a more positive outlook on illness.

Mood and Stress Improvement
Walking your dog helps you connect with neighbors, which provides socialization. Plus, walking in nature contributes to positive mental health, and exercise helps with cancer prevention. Patients frequently report that their pets help to keep them calm and lower their blood pressure. “They are always excited to see me and provide me with unconditional love; having my pup around makes life more enjoyable,” said an anonymous study participant.

Recovery and Independence
“Service dogs” bring to mind guide dogs for the blind. But medical service dogs can also be trained to bark for help, retrieve a phone, assist in walking, and opening and closing doors. They can be trained to pick up dropped items or turn lights and appliances on and off. This can be especially helpful for cancer patients who have lost a limb or have difficulty getting around as a result of treatment.

Can Dogs Smell Cancer?
This question has fascinated researchers for years. Canines smell up to 1,000 times more accurately than humans. In multiple laboratory studies, dogs have been able to detect certain cancers by smelling breath, stool or urine samples. An eight-year-old female Labrador retriever trained in cancer scent detection correctly identified 91 percent of breath samples and 97 percent of stool samples from patients with colon cancer.

In 2016, Tsunami, a three-year-old German shepherd at the Penn Vet Working Dog Center, identified ovarian cancer malignancies from tissue samples with 90 percent accuracy. Six dogs trained at the Veterinary Department of Pingtung University of Science and Technology in Taiwan had an average positive diagnosis rate of 84 percent when using exhaled air samples for training the dogs to recognize cancer in lung cancer patients. Dogs might one day be used in conjunction with existing diagnostic tests to detect cancer at its earliest stages when it’s most treatable.

Pet Assistance Wellness (PAW) Program
This program, initiated in 2020 by CancerCare, offers financial assistance to qualified individuals who are in active treatment and share their home with a beloved cat or dog, educational content that speaks to the specific challenges of caring for a pet while a patient is undergoing treatment and access to CancerCare’s free programs and services such as resource navigation and support groups.

One of the free resources provided by CancerCare advises, “If you’re comfortable, please let your veterinarian know about your cancer diagnosis. Your veterinarian and you can plan for how to best take care of your pets during your cancer treatment. For example, your treatment may occasionally result in your having difficulties with routine pet duties such as dog walking, lifting heavy things such as large bags of pet food, etc. Your cancer treatment may also result in your experiencing fatigue on occasion. Having a plan in place for your pet that includes family, friends, colleagues — or even your friendly veterinarian — can give you the peace of mind to know that your beloved pet is well taken care of.”

Protect Yourself During Treatment
While pets offer companionship and love, they can also accidentally provide illness when your immune system is compromised. To stay safe, keep up with your pet’s annual checkups and vaccinations. Avoid pet scratches or bites and keep nails clipped. Wear gloves and wash your hands after exposure to your pet’s body fluids or feces. Illnesses can be spread via pet urine or feces. Saliva can carry illness, so don’t let your pet lick any open cuts or near your nose and mouth.

Sources: pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov, ncfr.org, aicr.org, cancercare.org and nypost.com.