As the availability of COVID-19 tests dwindle across Canada, another option to detect the virus in the form of a furry friend may be the next best thing.
Multiple studies show that dogs can be more effective, faster and potentially less expensive than the current tests on the market.
The research has grown since 2020, with University of California Santa Barbara professor Tommy Dickey finding the collective research shows trained scent dogs are “as effective and often more effective” than both the rapid antigen tests many people keep in their homes, and even the PCR tests deployed at clinics and hospitals.
But even with studies showing their effectiveness, COVID-19-detecting dogs are deployed only in certain jurisdictions in various countries.
One such place is the Canines for Care program at Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH), which started looking into the possibility of training dogs to detect COVID-19 in early 2021.
Dr. Marthe Charles, division head of medical microbiology and infection prevention and control at VCH, said the idea stemmed from the early reliance on laboratory testing.
“I think there was a will from public health at the time and also from the various levels of government to try to find a way that was fast, accurate and non-invasive to be able to detect and train as many people as possible,” Charles told Global News in an interview.
Three dogs — two Labrador retrievers and an English springer spaniel — were brought in for training. The dogs were exposed to items such as masks that were worn by patients either negative or positive for the virus. This trained the dogs to recognize what is and is not COVID-19.
Charles said the dogs were trained since being puppies to associate the scent of COVID-19 with food and were rewarded each time they correctly detected a positive case of the virus.
“So from early on in their lives, they’ve associated the scent of a case of COVID to a rewarding scent,” she explained.
This reward method is not just used by VCM. It was also used with a group of dogs sourced in early 2021 for a French study, trained at detection using toys — usually tennis balls — as rewards.
Dr. Carla Simon, owner of Hunter’s Heart Scent Detection Canines in Calgary, said this method of training dogs is common. By using rewards, it can help motivate them to find the scent.
“We would pair, let’s say, the sweat samples with COVID, with their reward, and they notice that every time they find their reward, there’s that special smell,” she explained. “We just have to make it rewarding for the dog.”
She added, however, that the dog chooses the reward so trainers can ensure the canines “show up every day and want to do their job.”
Earlier this month, Dickey along with Heather Junqueira of BioScent, Inc. gathered several peer-reviewed studies into a review that was published in the Journal of Osteopathic Medicine. Dickey said the number of peer-reviewed studies over the past few years went from four to 29, incorporating the work of more than 400 scientists from more than 30 countries and 31,000 samples.
The review noted the effectiveness of dogs’ ability to detect COVID-19 comes down to their noses.
“The nose is not like humans,” Simon said. “It’s massively different, orders of magnitude different, and they can detect things without us being able to smell them.”
Humans have about five to six million olfactory receptors in their noses, while dogs have hundreds of millions. One-third of their brain is devoted to the interpretation of smell — something only five per cent of a human’s brain is committed to, according to Dickey’s review.
The study found dogs’ noses may even be able to detect pre-symptomatic COVID-19 cases, or even those who will develop symptoms later.
Dickey told us in an interview that this could help limit or stop the virus from spreading.
“The longer the wait is between your test and your result, that’s a latent period,” he said. “During that time you’re running around spreading COVID and you don’t know it. The dogs with a direct sniff will be done in seconds.”
Many of the studies conducted, including the work at VCH through the Canine for Care program, have shown dogs’ ability to detect the disease correctly with a success rate of more than 90 per cent. Additionally, the studies also showed a high speed at which the dogs could identify cases. In one study in Thailand, researchers reported the dogs had gone through thousands of samples in just a few weeks.
“The dogs take only one to two seconds to detect the virus per sample. Once they detect a patient, they will sit down,” said Chulalongkorn University professor Kaywalee Chatdarong, who led the 2021 project. “This takes only one to two seconds. Within one minute, they can manage to go through 60 samples.”
Even though the research suggested deploying scent-detection dogs could also be less expensive than rapid or PCR tests, Charles cautioned the logistics that go into training the dog is where it becomes “more prohibitive.”
In VCH’s case, training of the dogs included the medical microbiology lab to provide samples for use, working with infection prevention teams and control nurses, and if a dog identifies an area of concern, cleaning services may need to be utilized. And when it comes to rolling out testing using the dogs, enough staffing is needed for mass screening.
Despite this, while Charles says deploying the dogs widely could be difficult due to staffing and training, they are still one of several tools that can be used in COVID-19 detection.
“I think the way to see those dogs from my perspective is really like another tool in the toolbox and trying to prevent further transmission of pathogen of concern,” she said.
Dickey and Junqueira say dogs should have a place in “serious diagnostic methodology” including in helping should the world face a future pandemic.
Heartwarming scene: The 7-year-old boy refuses to go home after school to help a stray dog exhausted on the roadside.
in the heart of a bustling city, amidst the hustle and bustle of daily life, a touching scene unfolded that warmed the hearts of all who witnessed it. Street cameras captured a moment of pure compassion and selflessness, as a 7-year-old boy chose kindness over convenience, extending a helping hand to a paralyzed stray dog abandoned on the roadside.
After the school bell rang, signaling the end of the day, most children hurried home, eager to embrace the comforts of their familiar surroundings. However, one young soul, a 7-year-old boy named Ethan, lingered on the school grounds. His attention was captured by a sight that would change his life – a stray dog, frail and paralyzed, struggling to move on the roadside. While others passed by without a second glance, Ethan felt an immediate connection with the helpless creature.
Driven by empathy and an innate sense of kindness, Ethan approached the paralyzed dog cautiously, his eyes reflecting a blend of concern and determination. He gently petted the dog, offering the comfort of a human touch, and realized that the dog was in desperate need of assistance. Without a moment’s hesitation, Ethan decided to stay back and help the dog, even if it meant postponing his journey home.
With unwavering determination, Ethan used his backpack to fashion a makeshift stretcher, carefully lifting the dog onto it. Despite his young age, he demonstrated remarkable strength and resourcefulness. With the dog cradled in his arms, he set out on a slow, deliberate journey, his small legs determinedly carrying the burden of his newfound furry friend. Passersby watched in awe and admiration as the young boy navigated the bustling streets, his eyes focused on the well-being of the paralyzed dog in his care.
Ethan’s refusal to go home after school did not go unnoticed. The street cameras captured his act of kindness, and the footage quickly made its way onto social media, capturing the attention of people far and wide. The image of a 7-year-old boy, resolute and compassionate, serving as a guardian angel to a helpless creature, resonated deeply with viewers. Messages of admiration and encouragement flooded the internet, praising Ethan’s extraordinary act of selflessness.
Ethan’s parents, upon learning about their son’s noble deed, felt an overwhelming sense of pride and gratitude. They recognized that their child possessed a heart of gold and an innate understanding of compassion. They supported Ethan’s decision wholeheartedly, reinforcing the values of kindness, empathy, and responsibility that he had displayed.
As news of Ethan’s act of compassion spread, the local community rallied together to ensure the well-being of the paralyzed dog. Veterinary clinics, animal shelters, and concerned citizens offered their assistance, providing medical care, rehabilitation, and a safe haven for the injured dog. The story of Ethan’s selfless act inspired others to extend their support, leading to a collective effort to provide a better life for the once-abandoned canine.
Ethan’s story became a symbol of hope and compassion, a testament to the impact that a single act of kindness, no matter how small, can have on the lives of others. His actions served as a reminder that empathy knows no age, and that even the youngest among us can make a difference in the world. The story of Ethan and the paralyzed stray dog became a beacon of light, illuminating the path toward a kinder, more compassionate society, where the well-being of all living beings is valued and protected.
In the end, Ethan’s story taught the world a valuable lesson – that acts of compassion, no matter how humble, have the power to create ripples of change, transforming lives and inspiring others to follow in the footsteps of kindness. His selfless act will be remembered as a shining example of the boundless potential for goodness that resides within each of us, reminding us all that a single act of kindness can truly make the world a better place.
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