Cancer Detecting Dog Trainers in Canada Link With Japan

Big River, SK Sept 16 2011 – Dog trainers at Trailrunners K9 Training Center and Labradors in Big River, Saskatchewan, are now training cancer detection dogs at their facility. They are among the first in Canada to do this, as it is a fairly new field worldwide. They are working closely with a private medical foundation in Canada, as well as a cancer dog center in Japan. Trailrunners is doing this work for research purposes, and to create a system of providing early detection of cancer, using specially collected breath samples.

Some wonder how it is possible for a dog to sniff cancer in a breath sample.  Dr. Len Lichtenfeld, a deputy chief medical officer with the American Cancer Society states "What is probably going on here is that the cancer is producing something we call volatile compounds". Researchers are aware that there is a "common odour" found in or emitted by all cancer types. This common odour what the dogs are trained to detect.

In January 2011, a specially trained Labrador Retriever in Japan was recently documented by the British Medical Journal “Gut, to have extremely high levels of accuracy in detecting cancer. This includes detecting very early stage cancer, and every type of cancer. The Japanese are the first in the world to actually bring cancer detection through dogs from research, to the actual "work" of detection of cancer, for the medical field. More work needs to be done in Canada, before this would become a reality here.

It is because of the Japanese reputation for excellence in cancer dog training, that Trailrunners has partnered with them. The Trailrunners staff have spent time in Japan, working with and learning from the trainers and dogs there. A trainer from Japan has also spent time at the Canadian facility, evaluating the dogs, and working with the trainers.

Trailrunners is already known for training dogs for various “jobs”, like hunting dogs and therapy dogs. They have been providing working Labrador Retrievers to various individuals and agencies across Canada for search and rescue, drug detection, and cadaver work. They have been breeding and training Labrador Retrievers for some time with the goal in mind that their dogs will be of assistance to society in some way. Out of this vision has come the plan to train some of their dogs to detect cancer. There are 6 dogs that are currently in cancer detection training, they are all purebred, registered Labrador Retrievers.

YOU CAN HELP!

To take this training and research to the highest level possible, Trailrunners is in need of an
on-going source of breath samples from medically diagnosed cancer patients, who have not had radiation, chemotherapy, or taken cancer drugs. Samples used up till now in training have been received through medical facilities and doctors in Japan and Canada. More are needed, and a simple mail out system has been designed to collect them.  Individuals with Cancer are now being encouraged to participate in this program with their breath sample. 

We can send you more information if you contact:

Trailrunners K9 Training Center and Labradors

Box 940, Big River, SK Canada, S0J 0E0      Ph: 1-866-939-8009

Email: www.trailrunners.ca                         Web:    info@trailrunners.ca