Marian Cooper British dog owner Country: Great Britain

1. A British Dog Owner
2. The Value of Dogs
3. Flo's Concern
4. The Diagnosis and Treatment
5. Dogs as Cancer Detectors

A British Dog Owner

The story of 57-year-old British woman Marian Cooper clearly demonstrates that even the smallest dogs have a chance someday to save their owner's life. Cooper's faithful dog, Flo, saved her from something that even a specially trained Doberman might struggle with - a stage three malignant tumor.

The Value of Dogs

Most domestic dogs can offer their owners only so much, aside from incredible love and loyalty. Larger breeds like German Shepherds or Saint Bernards can serve as guard dogs, but smaller dogs like a Terrier would not be of much help in terms of protection – even a well-fed cat could seriously harm them. However, the story of 57-year-old British woman Marian Cooper clearly demonstrates that even the smallest dogs have a chance someday to save their owner's life. Cooper's faithful dog, Flo, saved her from something that even a specially trained Doberman might struggle with - a stage three malignant tumor.

Flo's Concern

Marian Cooper did not immediately understand what was bothering her pet; it may have seemed that Flo simply lacked attention – the dog constantly climbed onto her owner's lap. Only over time did Cooper notice that her dog was very interested in her right breast. Carefully feeling her breast with her hands, Marian discovered a suspicious lump – and immediately sought medical help.

The Diagnosis and Treatment

The diagnosis Cooper received was quite shocking: she had a stage three malignant tumor. Doctors explained that at this stage, tumors typically grow rapidly, and soon metastases can spread to almost all vital organs, making treatment at least extremely challenging. However, Cooper sought medical attention just in time – her tumor had not yet begun to grow. Doctors immediately started her on a treatment course, and by December, it was officially announced that Marian was completely free from cancer.

Dogs as Cancer Detectors

Flo is not the only dog to have demonstrated an impressive ability to detect malignant tumors. Currently, studying these canine talents is considered one of the most interesting areas of biology and oncology. In Japan, for example, an experiment was conducted in 2011 in which a Labrador was able to correctly "diagnose" cancer in 98 percent of cases. Such accuracy significantly exceeds that of standard medical procedures, needless to say, these results have only increased researchers' interest in dogs as "cancer detectors". However, 6-year-old pug Flo is unlikely to participate in these studies – she has already fulfilled her sacred duty to her owner.