Jun 2016 Speaker Norma Howell - Medical Dogs

Speaker and Meal evening - topic - Medical dogs and the amazing work they do - Norma Howell.

The Charity is based in Bucks and is the only centre in the world which deals with training and placing two different types of Medi Alert Dogs. These dogs now have the same access rights as Guide dogs. Compared to a humans 5 million smell receptors a dog has a stupendous 300 million and so can detect tiny amounts of odours that we are quite unaware of.

One group are used in research using their exceptionally sensitive noses to identify the smells that are associated with certain illnesses. Until it was realised that some dogs were reacting to certain odours it was not recognised that there was anything to react to.  Scientists can now design appropriate detectors to pre-empt severe illness.  The dogs are trained to sniff a series of samples (patient urine) and to sit down next to the one that is positive. Cancers respond to this approach. These dogs wear red jackets when they are working.  They have an amazing 98 % accuracy rate.

The second group can be a companion to a patient eg Diabetic.  They can warn the patient eg if their blood sugar levels are too high and go and fetch their blood testing kit. Or in Narcolepsy they can give enough warning of an attack to allow the patient time to lie down safely.  One has been trained to avoid nut vapour so they lead their patient away from the danger area.  These dogs wear a Yellow jacket when working.

Each dog takes around £12000 to train so any donations that the charity can find are put to extremely good use.

The Club was delighted to donate £100 this evening.

www.medicaldetectiondogs.org.uk