Medical Detection Dogs are to be used to detect prostate cancer - after a study found that the animals were able to correctly identify the disease in 93% of cases.
Canine testing will hopefully be used to show up inaccuracies in the Prostate Specific Antigen test, which is notorious for having a high false positive rate - meaning many men have to undergo a painful biopsy.
The dogs are used to sniff out urine belonging to patients, determining whether or not the person is suffering with the disease.
Consultant Urologist Iqbal Anjum, said the study was ‘an extremely exciting prospect.’
He added: ‘Over the years there have been many anecdotal reports suggesting that dogs may be able to detect cancer based on the tumour’s odour.’
‘It is assumed that volatile molecules associated with the tumour would be released into the person’s ruing, making samples easy to collect and test.’
Medical Detection Dogs is a charity that was founded in 2008 by Dr Claire Guest, after her own pup made her realise she was suffering with cancer by continuously prodding at her chest.