Dogs often exhibit strange behaviors, as many pet owners can attest. For Colleen Ferguson from Kent, England, her dog’s unusual actions had serious implications. For several weeks, her German Shepherd, Inca, was persistently sniffing her mouth, which Ferguson found peculiar. Despite being just two years old, Inca seemed to sense that something was off with her owner.
Ferguson became worried because of Inca’s behavior and decided to visit the dentist. The check-up revealed no issues, but Inca continued to act strangely, still frowning after sniffing Ferguson’s mouth. This led Ferguson to consult her doctor to investigate possible causes for the unusual breath smell. Medical News Today notes that conditions like diabetes can alter breath odor, while gluten intolerance and Celiac disease can also lead to bad breath, according to Imperial Dental Center. After various tests, Ferguson received a clean bill of health regarding those concerns, yet Inca persisted in her odd behavior.
Increasingly anxious about her dog’s fixation, Ferguson opted for a full-body scan to identify any potential health problems. Ferguson expressed surprise at the discovery of a tumor in her lungs, as she had never expected such a diagnosis. Inca’s behavior ultimately indicated that there was something wrong, leading to the detection of the cancer at an early stage. Shortly after, Ferguson underwent surgery, where doctors removed a tumor the size of a golf ball.
The surgeon remarked that Inca had saved Ferguson’s life. This incident occurred in 2015, and since then, researchers have been inspired by dogs like Inca to develop machines that can mimic their sense of smell. Dr. Andreas Mershin, who has worked on this project at MIT for nearly two decades, has established a company called RealNose.ai, aiming to create an “e-nose” with AI capabilities to detect cancer. In May 2026, this device was shown to Queen Camilla at Clarence House, and ongoing tests compare the device’s accuracy with that of trained dogs using urine samples.
Dr. Mershin highlighted that this work represents a significant advancement in emulating canine abilities. The aim is to create machines that can identify health issues like cancers. Currently, the e-nose is primarily designed to detect prostate cancer, with plans to expand its capabilities in the future.
Ferguson is grateful that Inca’s alertness helped identify her lung cancer early, granting her a second chance at life. What do you think about dogs’ abilities to sense health issues?
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Source: Upworthy, by Jacalyn Wetzel