Using sniffer dogs to detect COVID-19 / myLot

Rockingham, Australia

January 13, 2022 5:51pm CST

Sniffer dogs have been used in a number of roles for a number of years. Now, they are being trained to detect COVID-infected people. Dogs are already used to find people infected with malaria. Early results are very promising and, although larger studies are being undertaken, sniffer dogs are already being used in some instances. The dogs sniff sweat samples and don’t come into direct contact with people. Results are instantaneous and so far the dogs have a better strike rate than the RAT (Rapid Antigen Test). Using sniffer dogs would be very beneficial for low-income countries with limited laboratory resources. Photo is of a cute dog we saw in France. He doesn't look like he'd excel at COVID detection but I could be wrong.

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24 responses

@DaddyEvil (68568)

• United States

14 Jan

Did he bark at you in French?

4 people like this

Judy Evans

@JudyEv (264280)

• Rockingham, Australia

14 Jan

He was at a market and looked thoroughly browned off.

4 people like this

@DaddyEvil (68568)

• United States

14 Jan

@JudyEv Does that mean he looked bored? (I've never heard of "browned off".)

4 people like this

Four Walls

@FourWalls (38481)

• United States

14 Jan

Le bark!

3 people like this

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Krissttina Isobe

@oahuwriter (19756)

• United States

14 Jan

Interesting. Still prefer home test kits though. Feel sorry for the fur baby.

1 person likes this

Judy Evans

@JudyEv (264280)

• Rockingham, Australia

14 Jan

I think they'd look after the dogs. If they didn't, the success rate would plummet. And a lot of dogs enjoy their work.

1 person likes this

Krissttina Isobe

@oahuwriter (19756)

• United States

16 Jan

@JudyEv That's good! In America, home covid tests is really beginning to be the best. I went to the pharmacy to pick up my meds and I asked about the free covid test kits. It'll be on Jan. 19, but, they're not sure if how it'll be. President Biden is getting a site ready for distribution of free home covid tests & N95 masks. I'm waiting for that site. The kits & masks come via mail.

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Judy Evans

@JudyEv (264280)

• Rockingham, Australia

16 Jan

@oahuwriter I hope you'll get your free kits soon.

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Mildred Tabitha

@mildredtabitha (9571)

• Nairobi, Kenya

14 Jan

I never knew dogs could detect someone with malaria. Now I'm wondering that if the dogs can sniff covid in the near future, then they too can catch COVID-19

1 person likes this

Judy Evans

@JudyEv (264280)

• Rockingham, Australia

14 Jan

Perhaps they can catch covid. I don't think they have to get very close to the people they're testing. As far as I could work out, they give them an item of clothing to sniff. .

1 person likes this

Judy Evans

@JudyEv (264280)

• Rockingham, Australia

15 Jan

@mildredtabitha I suppose the trainers are all employed by an organisation or health care facility.

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Mildred Tabitha

@mildredtabitha (9571)

• Nairobi, Kenya

16 Jan

@JudyEv ooh alright. Sounds like an easy job

1 person likes this

Alexandrina Pahalova

@saytama (479)

• Chisinau, Moldova

14 Jan

If we take into account the fact that in some countries the test costs about 80 euros , we cost about 50 euros now they have made it a little cheaper about 30 , then the dog would have saved the situation , and I also heard that some people suffer asymptomatically

1 person likes this

Judy Evans

@JudyEv (264280)

• Rockingham, Australia

14 Jan

Yes, that's true. Some people have no symptoms. And dogs will work just for their board and lodging, won't they? They don't need to be paid.

1 person likes this

Alexandrina Pahalova

@saytama (479)

• Chisinau, Moldova

14 Jan

@JudyEv I would say that this is a huge business , they earn money on people , they earn money on animals , they earn money on everything

1 person likes this

Alexandrina Pahalova

@saytama (479)

• Chisinau, Moldova

14 Jan

@JudyEv I am against the use and exploitation of both people and animals , but nowadays you no longer understand where good and evil are

1 person likes this

Always smiling

@allknowing (103006)

• India

14 Jan

I thought only certain breeds are used as sniffer dogs

1 person likes this

Judy Evans

@JudyEv (264280)

• Rockingham, Australia

14 Jan

The one in the photo isn't a sniffer dog. I'm sorry if I implied he was.

1 person likes this

Always smiling

@allknowing (103006)

• India

14 Jan

@JudyEv You have been quite explicit and clear leaving nothing to one's imagination in your post

1 person likes this

Judy Evans

@JudyEv (264280)

• Rockingham, Australia

14 Jan

@allknowing Why, thank you!

Felicia Kane

@DesirousDreamer (34124)

• Peoria, Arizona

14 Jan

that is actually really amazing and so helpful! We don't deserve dogs, but we should be grateful towards them because they really have changed things for us.

1 person likes this

Judy Evans

@JudyEv (264280)

• Rockingham, Australia

14 Jan

It's incredible what dogs can do. It seems just a matter of communicating with them properly.

1 person likes this

Felicia Kane

@DesirousDreamer (34124)

• Peoria, Arizona

15 Jan

@JudyEv They seem to listen to communication than majority of humanity!

1 person likes this

Felicia Kane

@DesirousDreamer (34124)

• Peoria, Arizona

15 Jan

@JudyEv They seem to listen to communication than majority of humanity!

1 person likes this

snowy

@snowy22315 (129848)

• United States

14 Jan

Dog's noses are amazing. I know some can even detect cancer.

1 person likes this

Judy Evans

@JudyEv (264280)

• Rockingham, Australia

14 Jan

I don't think we have tapped into half the things that dogs can detect.

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snowy

@snowy22315 (129848)

• United States

14 Jan

@JudyEv Maybe not

1 person likes this

CarolDM

@CarolDM (168920)

• Nashville, Tennessee

14 Jan

Sweet dog. I read articles about this.

1 person likes this

Judy Evans

@JudyEv (264280)

• Rockingham, Australia

14 Jan

There seems no end to the things that dogs can do.

1 person likes this

CarolDM

@CarolDM (168920)

• Nashville, Tennessee

14 Jan

@JudyEv Totally agree with you.

1 person likes this

Scott Andersen

@DocAndersen (55526)

• United States

14 Jan

my dogs would be so lazy! They would only sniff for covid if the person actually sat right in front of them

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Judy Evans

@JudyEv (264280)

• Rockingham, Australia

14 Jan

They might work for treats though - or are they too well fed?

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Scott Andersen

@DocAndersen (55526)

• United States

15 Jan

@JudyEv that is a great question, they will do things for rewards yes.

1 person likes this

Anindita Sengupta

@aninditasen (3829)

• Raurkela, India

14 Jan

They have to be careful as the virus enters through the nose. It's very likely that the dog may get infected while sniffing the sweat.

1 person likes this

Judy Evans

@JudyEv (264280)

• Rockingham, Australia

14 Jan

I guess that is possible.

1 person likes this

Anindita Sengupta

@aninditasen (3829)

• Raurkela, India

15 Jan

@JudyEv That's very much possible. They have to vaccinate the sniffer dogs.

1 person likes this

Dena Miller

@Dena91 (16765)

• United States

14 Jan

That is interesting indeed. What a sweet picture of a pup.

1 person likes this

Judy Evans

@JudyEv (264280)

• Rockingham, Australia

14 Jan

The dog looks like he just wants to go home.

1 person likes this

Dena Miller

@Dena91 (16765)

• United States

14 Jan

@JudyEv

1 person likes this

RasmaSandra

@RasmaSandra (50748)

• Daytona Beach, Florida

14 Jan

That is a cute looking dog, That is interesting about the dogs and I hope this will be of help,

1 person likes this

Judy Evans

@JudyEv (264280)

• Rockingham, Australia

15 Jan

It might become a cheap alternative to testing all the time.

1 person likes this

Reine25

@Lucky15 (37438)

• Philippines

14 Jan

it would be great if dogs can sniff covid and the dog in the pic is so cute!!

1 person likes this

Judy Evans

@JudyEv (264280)

• Rockingham, Australia

14 Jan

It would be a much cheaper option than continually testing people.

1 person likes this

rebelann1949

@rebelann (94300)

• El Paso, Texas

14 Jan

I saw that article on the news feed on Bing.com a few days ago. I have to wonder how they train them to detect diseases.

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Judy Evans

@JudyEv (264280)

• Rockingham, Australia

14 Jan

I wonder that too but I guess they have their ways.

1 person likes this

BarBaraPrz

@BarBaraPrz (34786)

• St. Catharines, Ontario

14 Jan

They have highly developed senses of smell. Just think of all the dogs on 'walkies' who stop to check their p-mail.

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Judy Evans

@JudyEv (264280)

• Rockingham, Australia

14 Jan

There is a road crossing outside our kitchen window and a bush, and every dog that goes past that bush leaves his p-mail.

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@freelancermariagrace (25564)

• Philippines

14 Jan

Dogs really are incredible creatures!

1 person likes this

Judy Evans

@JudyEv (264280)

• Rockingham, Australia

14 Jan

It seems they can be trained for a great many duties.

1 person likes this

LindaOH

@LindaOHio (82421)

• United States

14 Jan

Cute dog and an interesting post.

1 person likes this

Judy Evans

@JudyEv (264280)

• Rockingham, Australia

14 Jan

Thanks. I thought it was interesting.

1 person likes this

Faye

@FayeHazel (38071)

• United States

14 Jan

That's pretty amazing that they're more accurate than the rapid test. I hope the dogs can't catch it or anything. I wonder if it's a specific breed of dog. That one in your photo is cute

1 person likes this

Judy Evans

@JudyEv (264280)

• Rockingham, Australia

14 Jan

There seem to be a few breeds that excel at this kind of work.