The dogs that can detect hypoglycaemia and epilepsy in their owners

Salvador López Flores, head of the canine unit of the Association for Cancer in People and Canine Olfactory Detection, which is based in Valencia, recently gave a talk on the Costa del Sol

David Lerma

Carsares.

Friday, 28 June 2024, 15:03

Salvador López Flores, head of the canine unit of the Association for Cancer in People and Canine Olfactory Detection, which is based in Valencia, is an accomplished dog trainer specialising in training dogs to detect illnesses like cancer, thanks to the acute sense of smell these animals possess. He was recently in Casares for the first edition of Guau Fest, organised by the town hall.

"There are no breeds better than others, but those with a longer snout tend to do better. Sometimes you get dogs with an excellent sense of smell, but you have to reject them because they are not very confident. It's not just about the nose," he clarified.

"There are dogs trained to detect cancer and others that can detect hypoglycaemia." The latter can act as a guardian for a diabetic, as they can detect drops in blood sugar through breath, sweat or any body fluid emitted by the human.

The clinical application is another matter. "An epilepsy or diabetes dog has more or less autonomy and when they smell the scent they've been trained to detect, they can alert the owner before the crisis happens. It's not always due to smell though; sometimes it's due to behaviour, alerting through body language. They know how you express yourself," said Salvador.

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