The video of the experiment proves dogs can smell epileptic seizures
Video Credit: Jennifer Cattet
New research suggests dogs can smell epileptic seizure as dogs can sniff out odours on a patient’s breath or sweat and warn them.
A recent study claims trained dogs can correctly identify the odour up to 100% of the time.
The research was carried out by The University of Rennes, France, and led by Dr. Amélie Catala, from the laboratory of animal and human ethology.
The scientists collected odours from five epileptic patients during a seizure and the odours were then canned.
Five dogs, who were able to sniff out cancer or diabetes, smelt seven cans. The only one can contain the ‘seizure odour’.
It turned out the animals can correctly identify the seizure odour up to 100% of the time.
A spokesperson for Epilepsy Action said: ‘We know dogs can predict seizures, which is why Support Dogs train them.’
‘We still don’t know whether they do that by smell or some other sense.’
‘So this research is interesting and could be a next step in understanding how dogs can further support people living with uncontrolled epilepsy.’
Rita Howson, the chief executive of Support Dogs – a charity that trains dogs to help people with autism and epilepsy, said:
‘Dogs are very good observers of humans. Dogs know what is going to happen when you pick up their leash – their behaviour indicates this. Their behaviour can also change when they pick up on more subtle cues – may be a smell or behavioural change in the client that occurs before an oncoming seizure.’
Recommended Video!
“Brave boy, 4, is told he is cancer-free and can go home”