Breast Cancer Survivor Claims Her Dog Saved Her Life By 'Sniffing Out' Disease
'I know it sounds unbelievable but Marley had been acting really strangely.'
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A dog owner claims her beloved pet saved her life - by sniffing out her breast cancer.
Lisa Johnson, 37, started to feel unwell and noticed her 10-year-old Bull Terrier Marley refusing to leave her side and barking whenever she stood up.
After weeks of pestering, the mum-of-three decided to go for a check-up and doctors discovered a lump on her right breast.
She was diagnosed with early stage breast cancer and underwent chemotherapy which shrunk the tumour.
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Lisa Johnson with her dog Marley
Lisa, from Nuthall, Nottingham, took notice of Marley's attentiveness after the pooch displayed the same behaviour when she was pregnant with all three of her children.
She said: "I know it sounds unbelievable but Marley had been acting really strangely.
"She wouldn't leave me alone and she's not usually like that, she's normally very independent and not that interest in you.
"Everywhere I went she came with me. She would clamp herself next to me when I was in the kitchen, she'd come sit next to me on the bed.
"The only time she had got like that before is when I was pregnant. She got so protective before I found out I was pregnant with my eldest, Thea.
"With my next two, as soon as Marley started acting that way I went and got a pregnancy test and it was positive. My third child was unexpected, but Marley still knew."
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Lisa's during one of her chemotherapy treatments in August 2015
Lisa added: "It sounds bonkers I know, but she sniffed it out all three pregnancies at about four weeks.
"But this time I knew I was not pregnant so I just didn't understand why she was acting this way.
"Something didn't feel right. I told my husband something was wrong. She was acting like it for a month, so I decided to check myself for cancer.
"When I did I found a lump on my breast, I couldn't believe it."
Lisa was diagnosed with breast cancer in January 2015 and immediately started chemotherapy and in May had an operation to remove the lump.
She has now been told she is in remission after a year's treatment.
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Lisa Johnson with her dog Marley and children Thea (7), Effy (5) and Freddie (3)
Lisa, who lives with husband Chris, 30, an electrician, added: "I know I sound like a hippy, or a lunatic but my dog helped me on my way to finding out.
"I think she can smell out the hormones on my breath or something, as that would explain how she could detect my cancer and my pregnancies.
"Ever since the cancer has been treated, Marley has gone back to normal. It's like she's done her job.
"It sounds completely unbelievable, but she really does seem to have a sixth sense. She saved my life."
Dr Anne Carter, senior lecturer at Nottingham Trent University's school of animal, rural and environmental sciences, said: "There have been cases where dogs have been known to sniff out and detect cancer in their owners.
"If it's been part of the family for a long time, the dog can often be looking at natural changes that occur in their owners."
An NHS trial is currently under way to prove the principle that medical detection dogs can find breast cancer and have the potential to diagnose other cancers, such as those of the prostate and lung.
Breast Cancer Signs And Treatment
What Are The Symptoms?(01 of10)
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"A new painless, firm breast lump with irregular margins is a potential symptom of breast cancer," says Dr. Sandhya Pruthi, a breast cancer researcher at the Mayo Clinic. "The cancer diagnosis is confirmed following a biopsy of the lump." She notes that usually, women who are newly diagnosed with breast cancer are healthy and don't feel sick at all. (credit:LarsZahnerPhotography via Getty Images)
Other Symptoms(02 of10)
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Another potential symptom/sign of breast cancer, Pruthi notes, is a new onset of persistent redness on the skin overtop the breast with an orange peel appearance. This would also need a biopsy to confirm a diagnosis of breast cancer. (credit:Image Source via Getty Images)
Metastatic Cancer Symptoms(03 of10)
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"If the cancer is very advanced (metastatic) then the symptoms may also include weight loss, bone pain, headaches, nausea and persistent cough," Pruthi says. (credit:pamela burley via Getty Images)
What Are The Risk Factors?(04 of10)
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Some commonly associated risk factors, Pruthi says, are menstruation before age 11, menstruation after age 54, a first pregnancy after age 35 and a family history of relatives diagnosed with breast or ovarian cancer. (credit:AP Photo/M. Spencer Green)
Are There Any Lifestyle Risk Factors?(05 of10)
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"There is evidence in the literature that obesity after menopause, lack of regular exercise, consuming greater than more or more alcoholic beverages daily, and a high fat diet can all be associated with a higher breast cancer risk," Pruthi notes. But, she points out, "women need to know that any woman can get breast cancer even in the absence of any of these risk factors." (credit:Adrian Samson via Getty Images)
Can I Eat Anything To Prevent It?(06 of10)
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There are no specific types of diets, Pruthi says, but rather women are encouraged to eat fruits, vegetables, fibre, and minimize their alcohol and fat intake, as well as get regular exercise. (credit:lola1960 via Getty Images)
How Do Doctors Determine Treatment?(07 of10)
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"The most current treatment of breast cancer has taken on a individualized approach and is dependent on the biology or aggressive features of the breast cancer," Pruthi explains. "Breast cancer is a heterogeneous disease and this means that are many sub-types and different degrees of aggressiveness. So staging, which typically takes into account common prognostic features such as tumour size and if lymph nodes are involved, are no longer the only factors doctors use to determine treatment options." (credit:Christopher Futcher via Getty Images)
So What Do They Look At?(08 of10)
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"Today the biology of the tumour is also characterized by molecular markers (also known as predictive markers) such as if the estrogen or progesterone receptor is positive or negative and if the HER 2 protein is positive or negative," she says. "This helps decide who will benefit from a specific chemotherapy regimen, hormonal medications known as antiestrogens or who may need both chemotherapy and hormonal treatment." (credit:BluePlanetEarth via Getty Images)
What About Preventative Mastectomies?(09 of10)
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"Preventive mastectomy is an option for women at very high risk for developing breast cancer because they are BRCA 1 or 2 gene positive or if someone has hereditary predisposition to getting breast cancer but chooses not to have the genetic testing done," Pruthi says. "It is prudent that women who are considering this surgery know their family history in detail. Based on the moderate or strong family history, your doctor would recommend you meet with a genetic counselor to go over the family pedigree and help decide who should test for the breast cancer gene, when to test and how to interpret the genetic test results before proceeding with this preventive surgery." (credit:Jesús Jaime Mota via Getty Images)
Are Other Preventative Treatments Available?(10 of10)
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"High risk women who have had precancerous breast biopsies or strong family history may also be eligible to take preventive medications such as tamoxifen, raloxifene or exemestane to reduce breast cancer risk," Pruthi adds. (credit:art-4-art via Getty Images)