Dogs have always been hailed for their loyalty to mankind. Of course, this is how they earned the title of man’s best friend. In the face of a worldwide pandemic, our canine friends have once again stepped up for us as researchers test to see if dogs can sniff out the Coronavirus. Not only have they been keeping us company while we self-quarantine and social distance, they could be the key to stopping the spread. A British charity, Medical Detection Dogs, has teamed up with Durham University and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine to train these special teams of canines.
What Makes These Dogs Special?
This trial is the only type of its kind currently being conducted. The charity has already been successful at training their dogs to smell out illnesses like malaria, cancer, and even Parkinson’s disease. Now they have taken up the task of training these dogs to find this new, novel virus. The hope in training these dogs is to create a simple, non-invasive testing procedure. While the dogs would not be relied upon entirely for their abilities to find the virus, they would be an invaluable attribute to helping stop the spread. Professor James Logan, the LSHTM head of disease control, notes that dogs have already proven their capabilities to identify viruses by smell as seen by their success with malaria. He said the level to which they could detect that virus in particular is with “accuracy above the World Health Organisation standards for a diagnostic". Proven capable, the team is preparing their dogs to save their human companions.
A service dog taking a break from a long day’s work. Sarah Brown. Unsplash License.
The Training
An eight week training process begins as soon as the dogs are vetted. Many of these dogs are even rescues! Researchers have begun the process with the dogs using masks and fabric samples worn by Coronavirus patients. In doing so, they are hoping that the virus itself has a unique smell the dogs can alert handlers to. While their research will take time, this could be a massive step in the identification of the virus. Not only is the training simple, but it enables researchers to train up to six dogs at a time. Once they are trained, they can test up to 750 patients an hour, identifying the smell in merely seconds or less. These canines are a great tool of efficiency and safety. CEO of Medical Detection Dogs Claire Guest said, “When resources and testing kits are low, hundreds of people can't be tested in one go. But the dogs can screen up to 750 people really quickly. By identifying those who need to be tested and self-isolate, they can stop the spread.” These animals have the potential to combat Covid-19 in a way humans can’t, and if the trials are successful, it could change how Covid-19 is treated forever!
A service dog at work. My Photo Journey. CC BY 2.0
These canines could be incredibly beneficial to the rapid identification of Coronavirus. In the past, they have shown how capable their sniffers can be and medical researches are hoping to continue this. While many worry about the dogs themselves catching the virus, researchers feel confident they are not putting the animals at risk. As we still are not entirely sure the virus can spread from humans to animals and vice versa, this is something the researchers will certainly have to watch for. Updates on the project are still to come as trials are active, but things are looking optimistic. Dogs have always helped mankind, from hunting to therapy to official military service, and once again, we owe them our thanks for helping us make our world a little bit better.
Renee Richardson
is currently an English student at The University of Georgia. She lives in Ellijay, Georgia, a small mountain town in the middle of Appalachia. A passionate writer, she is inspired often by her hikes along the Appalachian trail and her efforts to fight for equality across all spectrums. She hopes to further her passion as a writer into a flourishing career that positively impacts others.