Did the dog know first?

[lilyecuadorian]

The question is this - Has anyone had an expierence where their dog followed them around before being diagnosed with cancer?

Perhaps a breif explanation is in order.

Shortly after the birth of my son, Max, our dog followed me every where I went. During this time Bandit would sit at my feet when ever I sat down and would, when he wasn't sleeping, sniff my legs. He wouldn't let me out of his sight. This included, oddly enough, not taking more than a few moments outside, not letting me take a shower in peace, and when I went to sleep, he either had his head on my legs (while sitting on the floor) or would glare at me. If anyone came near me while I was sleeping he would growl at them. My husband had mentioned that we needed to watch the dog carefully becuase of an incident he had with Bandint in the morning trying to give me a good-bye kiss before heading to work. He was concerned that the dog was losing it's mind. After chemo begin Bandit relaxed.

At any rate, just wondering if anyone else had this 'thing' happen to them. I mention it becuase 20/20 had a report on it last week.

[Believe51]

Couple of things, first search for the post I wrote about "Oscar the Cat From Rhode ISland", that will get you started. The dog story I did see and do believe that animals have senses about these things.

You must have heard me talk about my cat Mookie?? Big Momma's boy who always slept and followed me. On Saturday mornings when I am cleaning I have to put him down for naps (yes, that is what I said=Naps on my bed) so I can continue to clean the house.

Since my husband's illness he has been quite attached and at first he thought it was because they bonded with him being out of work. Not!! Each night this cat comes to the bedroom to make "dough" on the soft fleece blanket that my mother made for HIM!! LOL!! He only stays 10 minutes and meows on the way out. I think what he is saying Sweetie is: "I am taking the night shift Mommy!!" LOL

In all seriousness he is devoted to my husband and he has changed the great loving times for the morning with Mommy. It is in the morning that I get big head butts of love, I think it is because Ed is sleeping and this furry little guy knows Daddy does not need him at the moment. Do not get me wrong, Mook Man is stiill a Momma's boy.

Believe me Lily, this animal certainly knows Daddy is sick and he surely helps me. Mookie is the greatest support and boy do we know it!! Now go hug that dog of yours!! (smiling very big)>>Believe51

[MJo]

A woman in my support group raises champion jack russel terriers. She says one of her terriers kept nudging and sniffing her breast before the diagnosis. I believe it. I saw a tv show about dogs that can find melanoma by scent.

[Yorkiegirl]

YES, I truely believe that one of mine knew before I was dx.

I have one Yorkie that likes to stay to herself, she is not a cuddly girl. But about two months before I was dx'd she would crawl under the covers at night and lay by my side she would also sit on my chest and just pant away and sniff me. She kept doing this and I thought it strange at the time. When I was dx'd, then I knew what she was trying to tell me.

So yes, I do believe that animals know.

[VaMoonRise]

First let me say, I worked as a Veterinarian Technician for years and have heard many, many stories of cats and dogs both being very intuitive to different types of illness and disease within their beloved owners. There have been many stories reported by the media of cats that live in assisted living homes that can predict when a patient is going to pass away. The cat will go into a patient's room and lay upon the patients bed and will not leave until the patient has passed on. There was recently a story in the news about this exact thing. The cats name is Oscar which someone already mentioned in a post. He has been accurate 25 times, meaning that 25 of the patients he has gone and laid on the bed with and would not leave have passed away, generally within 24-48 hours. This cat is the youngest at the age of 2 to do this, most other cats that have done this have been much older. Needless to say these cats can make the nurses on duty more alert and attentive to that patient which is a good thing but they can also make some patients nervous, while other patients like it because they feel it gives them notice and time to reach out to loved ones for the last time or to say their final prayers.

Now for my own personal experience. I have 5 cats and did have a dog, Wyatt, who was my most beloved, best friend, baby, sweet heart and loyal companion for 12 years until this past April when we had to have him put to rest because of debilitating arthritis in his hips and spine. I never had any of them indicate that I had cancer before my initial diagnosis but that may be because I only had DCIS with microcalcifications and was stage "0." Whenever I came home from having had surgery though they all new immediately as soon as I walked in the door that something was wrong with Mommy. They all would be so loving, gentle and attentive to me, even my 2 cats who are normally aloof. Before I had my MRI and was diagnosed with brain mets I was experiencing terrible headaches around the clock and would go from my bed to the couch everyday. I would lay down on the couch with my head on a pillow propped up on the arm of the couch. My cat Morgan who is a big time Daddy's boy and who usually ignores Mommy unless Mommy has food would get up on the arm rest of the couch just behind my head and would lick the back of my head until my hair was soaking wet. I would try to get him to stop, even pushing him down to the floor but he would jump right back up and resume his licking of the back of my head, lol. Funny enough just before I started with the headaches my husband and I flew out to AZ to visit his Dad and his Dad's wife, and while there one of their cats did the exact same thing. Every time I was sitting on the couch watching TV or talking to everyone he would get up on the back of the couch and sit just behind me and lick the back of my head until my hair was soaking wet. I thought it was funny at the time and thought that there was just something about my hair that he really liked because my Father in-laws wife said that he really liked hair but that she had never seen him go on like this before where he was just continuously licking someone's hair. I hadn't really thought much about it once I was at home and my own cat started doing it because I figured my cat knew that I was having headaches and I never thought it was due to brain tumors. I thought it was tension headaches. Once I had the MRI and brain mets were discovered and after I went through WBR my cat stopped doing this. He and my other 4 cats have very recently remained very attentive though because of me having such elevated liver function numbers (which have finally started to come down). They wont leave me alone, which is very unusual for them. They generally spend most of the day sleeping, eating and playing with one another and then in the evening each one will come around for his/her nightly personal attention. Now they are all over me all day long and even sleep at my feet while I am on the computer or watching TV, etc.

I hope this and the other posts have answered your question for you. Animals, especially domestic ones and more so cats are extremely intuitive not just about illness and disease but they are great judges of peoples character. Have you ever had someone new come into your home and your pet act very disturbed or unusual around this person, like growling, extremely shy or take to this person immediately as though they can't get enough of that person. I take my pets reactions to new people very seriously as I know that they sense things about this person that I can't.

Thanks for bringing this question to the group as it is a very interesting subject.

Hope that you, your family and furry companion are all doing well.

Love, Hugs & God Bless,
Nicola

[Yorkiegirl]

Nicola I was a Vet Tech as well before I was dx'd 29 months ago. I am still trying to decide wheather to go back to work or not.

[Barbara2]

I posted this in Jan. of 2006:

I read an article recently about a lady who credits her dog to saving her life because he wouldn't stop paying attention to an area of her leg that eventually was discovered to be cancerous. This was a big dog that she said was not normally a "licker." Early on, he started licking a place on her leg (I can't remember for the life of me now what was there.....must have been a mole or something similiar.)

In time his licking became more aggressive, then turned to scratching the area, and finlly trying to bite at it. This went on for 6 months or so, before she headed for the doctor, who felt this was not a cancerous issue. Turns out, though, it was malignant.

It will be very interesting to see where these knew studies will lead.

[Barbara2]

My schnauzer may have been on to something......
<HR style="COLOR: #cc0033" SIZE=1><!-- / icon and title --><!-- message -->Before my breast cnacer was detected, I had an area on my breast that I had been concerned about as to possibly being malignant. A mammogram had said no, as well as an ultrasound.

One day as I was sitting on the couch, our schnauzer came to join me. She went to the area of my breast that was of concern, and smelled that area for maybe 5 seconds or so. (It seems like I had my pj's on. ??) I had previously read about dogs detecting breast cancer, and the dogs used in the experiment had been schnauzers.

The thought of that article came to mind, and I did wonder if she had really noticed something in that area, or if it was a coincidence. ?? I think she detected the cancer, but will never know for sure. It was a short time after that, that the diagnosis was made.

[BonnieR]

My husband and I are a Therapy Dog team and visit hospitals and institutions with our dog Porter. Porter is sweet but never licks or kisses us or guests. Not his style. But as soon as he is with a sick person, he will lick their hands. It is a very uncharacteristic behavior. He just seems to sense a need. It is not specific to cancer, I dont believe, but shows an intitutive trait or some desire to try to heal....
I don't recall him showing a particular interest in my situation, interestingly...

[Chelee]

Its funny you should bring this up. I've always wondered about this myself. I know RIGHT BEFORE I was DX with bc this first time...my poodle was *always* licking my feet, ankles, arms. It drove me crazy! He never does that. He is NOT a licker...never has been. I remember even wondering at that time WHY all of a sudden he kept doing that. Then my mastiff would constantly come up and sniff my legs. I would tell her to quit it. That drove me nuts too! Both dogs never did this. Then shortly after I was DX with bc.

After I had my surgery they no longer did that...nor did they during chemo or after. But NOW I am scared to death. My poodle and mastiff have both taken up to doing those same things. They started it back up about a month or so ago. And its more worriesome to me because I have been OFF herceptin and my stupid onc still doesn't have me on an AI. I've had really bad upper back pain. Not just the back...my spine is KILLING me. Its been a consistent pain and it never goes away. Its got me really worried. So if I have my scans and God forbid *its* back...I'm going to know for sure my dogs know when somethings up. This is not their normal behavior at all. But for my sake...I hope they just REALLY like me & feel like showing me with lots of wet kisses and big whiffs. lol

Chelee

[IRENE FROM TAMPA]

Lilly -

I have a Maltese that is now 18 years old. She has always been a very sweet little girl and followed me around, sitting at my feet, even if I was at the sink doing dishes, or wherever. Always came and sat with me, but on several of my recurrence times I noticed that she would just look at me and stare. We actully made a joke about it once and wondered if I was getting another recurrence since it seemed she did this when indeed I had one. I never really gave it much more thought, but I do think that maybe there is something to this. We are so connected to our pets, that they just might sense these things, who knows. They do seem to have a natural instinct to so many things.

I will start paying more attention to these little signs from now on.

Take care

[Believe51]

Wanted to bump this up for any who may have missed it. Especially since my post on 'noticing body scent changes'.

[Carol Carlson]

Our dear, sweet yellow lab. of 11 passed away July of '07. She had lymphoma. My BC was dx'd in '04. She was always a
'"licker" but it seemed to increase about the time I was dx'd. After my surgeries. during chem, rads, and until she died, she would always sleep at the foot of my bed, ON my legs and when I was on the couch prior to bedtime she would do the same. She started doing this just before and after my surgeries. She would lick my hands , feet, etc,. whatever she could get ahold of and I know she knew. She was my best friend in the whole world and I believe that both dogs and cats have a basic intuition about illness . I honestly believe that my precious " Annie" helped in my recovery. I wish that I could have done the same with her.
They are all such a gift.
Carol
They just know.

[Bill]

Thanks, Marie. I was getting ready to tell the story of my Dad's cat, "Bushy", licking Nicola's head, and then about our pets, but she beat me to it. I hadn't read that post yet. I read only a few here and there, to stretch them out. It's always a wonderful surprise when I just stumble upon one. Thank you.

[jones7676]

Our dog knew I was sick before I did when cancer occurred the first time.....she kept sniffing me and moved to my side of the bed (she is my husbands baby). She did it again when it returned in my lung. However, she did not "tell" me the third time that I remember. I guess I will have to observe her behavior and journal it. I think I will also do it with our cat that is my very good buddy.

[madubois63]

This is sad, but I had to share - About a year ago, my friend Kenny (mkkrny) came here because of his wive - my dearest angel Maryann Near the end, Maryann was set up in a hospital bed in the den, and people were in and out of the house helping with the kids, cooking, cleaning, shopping and taking care of Maryann. Her cat would sit on her and wouldn't let some of us near her at times. Just before passing, Maryann was taken to Hospice Care outside of the home. She was out of the house for less than 10 hours. That cat would not leave the spot on the bed that she had lied on for those last several months. It was all very eerie and sad...

I on the other hand, am not a cat lover. I love kitties, but just can't stand the cats. Don't know if it is something from a past life?? I have tried and I apologize to those really nice cats and cat lovers...Anyway, I am a dog LOVER. As a child, my German Sheppard, Scotty, licked my mom's cast for weeks when she broke her collar bone in a car accident. As a teen, my Belgium Sheepdog, Zorba (yes, I am Greek), licked my bandages when my sister shut the car door on it (although she still says she didn't do). My Swiss Mountain Dog, Hopper, is the kids dog, but my baby. He is always under my feet, but I KNOW he always knew when I was sick. He acts differently if I am going to my sister's for the weekend than he does if I am packing for the hospital. He never sleeps the night before my going - he paces. He digs holes in the yard ONLY when I'm in the hospital, but never when I'm away on vacation. I can't say if he knew about the cancer when I was first diagnosed. I really didn't take notice, but I know now that he does sense when things are wrong...Love my baby!!!

[Bill]

Yes, all animals are very intuitive, both domestic, and wild, of course. My great-grandmother was full-blooded Choctaw and my family and friends have told me that's why I'm drawn to the outdoors and nature the way I am. Animals, and birds, even our pets, always pick up on things before we do. Pay attention to them. Their instincts aren't tainted the way ours have become.

[goops]

A couple of years ago I adopted a stray dog estimated to be around 10. Abby appeared to be well taken care of, yet I found her running around downtown during rush hour and to my surprise no one claimed her. I have often wondered if her owner died and someone just let Abby lose.

She did not act strange until I started chemo, The first month I was on AC a strange smell came from my body - Abby would just cling to me and cry, and she started to have terrible nightmares. It made me wonder if her original owner had died of cancer.

My uncle had a wiener dog who he was very close to. My uncle died from heart problems. He had been in the hospital for a while when he passed. On the anniversary of his death his dog (very well trained and usually well behaved) howled all day and could not be consoled.

[Carol Carlson]

I was telling my husband about this interesting topic and he said he had seen a few programs on T.V. about 'Cancer Sniffing dogs". That they are actually capable and ( probably cats too) of picking up a cancer scent. He couldn't remember all the details but found it quite a fasinating subject.
Me too. I'd like to learn more about it.
They are truly such amazing creatures.
The most interesting question of course might be, how long prior to diagnosis does this happen??
Carol Carlson

[MJo]

I have to comment again. Ya know, we take care of them, pamper them feed them, love them, etc. They have to keep us healthy. Maybe it's self interest as well as love on their part. Smart pets!