Dog training to detect the coronavirus

Animals give us humans their companionship, love and loyalty. These emotions are sometimes difficult to receive from other human beings so unconditionally. At this time of quarantine, the animals provide companies to their families in full confinement. Some animals are also trained to detect explosives, drugs or even diseases. That’s how today we’ll talk about the possibility of a dog training that could help us fight the coronavirus

On the other hand they serve as assistance animals for people with various disabilities or with pathologies such as epilepsy and diabetes. In addition, in some hospitals, therapy spaces are provided for health personnel who are fighting the coronavirus.

One of the most innovative contributions is that puppies are being trained in countries in Europe to detect the coronavirus. Without a doubt this would be a great advance to win the battle against this deadly disease that has already claimed the death of more than 330,000 people in the world.

For this reason, throughout this article, we will discuss dog training to detect the coronavirus. Without a doubt, the dog as man’s best friend continues to give a “friendly paw” in these times so hard for humanity.

Hopefully this love and loyalty will be reciprocated with these wonderful creatures of God.

Man’s best friend and the fight against the coronavirus

The dog as man’s best friend continues to give his valuable contributions in health. Thanks to its highly developed sense of smell, it can be trained to detect the coronavirus.

For this reason, French veterinary doctors and firefighters have taken the initiative to carry out a test. This test involves canines trying to identify specific odors that could be emitted by patients with the virus.

Dogs, after specific training, may be able to detect the disease in humans.

Mar Anto Costa, firefighter  in Ajaccio indicated the following:

“Dogs are known for their ability to recognize other diseases, such as breast cancer, prostate cancer, and others. I think even diabetes. Although of course, it is not officially tested. It remains to be seen if the coronavirus molecule emits a particular smell “

It is possible that this idea is successful, since animals have been detecting cancer in people for a long time.

To carry out this experiment, the trainers have samples of patients with COVID-19, provided by the hospitals.

Brice Leva, a firefighter from southern Corsica expressed the following:

“To train dogs we use a simple plastic tube in which the odor particles are placed”

The purpose of this initiative where the dog participates is to provide an additional solution to the existing tests to detect the disease.

The tests are currently 70% effective and must be checked with other tests.

Undoubtedly, the contribution would be extremely valuable at this crossroads that we live worldwide.

Six canines are the stars of the dog training to detect coronavirus

There are six canine heroes who have already been working detecting diseases. These canines are currently being trained to detect covid-19 or coronavirus in people.

These star doggies are called Norman, Digby, Storm, Star, Jasper and Asher. This great team of canines is called “The Super Six”.

This team of British dogs is made up of the Labrador and Cocker Spaniel breeds. These are star animals detecting diseases through odor.

Researchers at the “Medical Detection Dogs” Center, who care for and train them, are amazed at their ability to discover disease in people.

This innovative idea has already been in operation for ten years. That’s why these doctors work with these dogs. They want to make the most of the perfected sense of dog smell.

It should be noted that thanks to the smell of dogs, they are very useful in detecting explosives or drugs. Dogs are also a great help in emergency teams to find missing people after a natural disaster.

These trained dogs are also great allies for doctors in detecting some diseases. In this context, it is very likely that they now have a new job at airports, sniffing passengers to find out if they have contracted coronavirus.

Scientists at Medical Detection Dogs, a center located in Milton Keynes dedicated to dog training to detect diseases. They are currently investigating whether their canine team is able to check if a person has Covid-19 through its smell.

Phases of dog training to detect coronavirus

To achieve the desired goal that canines are able to detect the coronavirus, these animals must undergo dog training that goes in stages.

In principle, the initial phase of this research project, the canine team consisting of six specimens will undergo intensive dog training. This phase will last between eight and ten weeks to find out if they can fully detect the coronavirus through odor.

The samples to be sniffed come from NHS hospitals, the UK national health system:

“We collect samples of breath and body odor that we think may contain the virus, such as masks. We are not going to use human tissue.”

If after training they confirm that they detect the coronavirus, they will go to the second phase:

“We will do tests in real situations and we hope to be able to work with other agencies to train more dogs and to start working”

As we already know, dogs can detect various diseases, find drugs and explosives. For this reason, if this dog training is successful, it is most likely that the new job of these canines is to detect the coronavirus in passengers through the smell.

No doubt this would be wonderful news for the fight of coronavirus more efficiently.

The researchers believe that detection would be rapid. In addition, a dog would be able to monitor approximately 200 people in one hour. The detection of coronavirus contagions through dogs would be very effective and efficient in taking appropriate measures.

The Super Six dogs against The Coronavirus

Like in a comic book, dog training to detect the coronavirus has sparked scientists’ curiosity. The government’s contribution to this ambitious project is also visible.

In the case of the British Government, it finances this experiment with “The Super Six” canine team of with half a million pounds.

We hope and soon we have good news of this initiative. This is one more reason to value animals.

 

Sources:

https://gustavomirabalcastro.online/salud/entrenamiento-de-perros-para-detectar-el-coronavirus/

https://www.9and10news.com/2020/05/17/the-super-six-dogs-being-trained-to-detect-coronavirus/

https://mariacarolinamirabal.com/maria-carolina-chapellin-de-mirabal/gustavo-mirabal-poderopedia/

 

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