The hospital can often seem like a cold, harsh place of science. They are serious places full of serious people. Maybe they need something to make them a bit cheerier. Well there's nothing better for that than a dog.
Have you ever thought about dogs as medicine? Or even more oddly, how about dogs as doctors? Dr. Claire Guest does. Dr. Guest says she owes her life to her old dog, Daisy. Daisy was not just an ordinary, loving companion. Daisy was a specially trained dog. She was trained to detect signs of cancer in humans just by using her nose. Daisy was a bio-detection dog.
Dogs have amazing olfactory systems. They have between 125-300 million scent receptors in their noses. Most diseases have an odour associated with them. But a human's sense of smell could never notice it. That's why dogs are so adept in the medical field.
The first patient that Daisy ever diagnosed was Dr. Guest herself. Dr. Guest noticed that her dog was behaving oddly. It was like she was trying to alert her of something. She went to the hospital to get some tests done. When the tests came back, Dr. Guest was diagnosed with breast cancer. If it hadn't been for Daisy, she would never have known.
Since then, Dr. Guest founded an organization called Medical Detection Dogs. There, she trains dogs to detect illnesses in patients before doctors can find them.
In many countries, dogs are used to detect early signs of cancer. Doctors rely on the dogs' expert sense of smell. Many doctors are still dubious. However, there have been many incredible stories of dogs finding cancer where doctors could not.
It is not easy to be selected as a bio-detection dog. There are lots of requirements. The dog must have a good relationship with humans. It must want to work hard. It must avoid distractions. It must respond well to rewards. If it ticks all the boxes, it might be ready to start its training.
But not all dogs in hospitals are doctors. Some dogs are just there to cheer patients up. Therapy dogs go from patient to patient saying hello. A hospital can be a lonely place. People take their dogs to hospital to improve patients' quality of life. Young and old patients feel a lot calmer when there is a dog around.
Elsewhere, dogs can even help our mental health. Psychiatric dogs help people with mental health illnesses. They can help with problems such as anxiety and depression. Having a dog provides a safe presence. It provides a calming energy for its handler.
Like all service dogs, they must go through training. The training depends on the needs of the handler. Some remind handlers to take medication. Some interrupt unhealthy behaviours. Some can even protect their handlers from hurting themselves if they fall.
So what do you think? Would you go see a dog doctor the next time you're feeling unwell?