To be slightly concerned for DH's health as our dog keeps sniffing him?

[thethirdmrsdewinter]

DH is outwardly healthy. Late-forties, fit and strong, no known current health issues. No recent changes, except that for the last month or so, our dog keeps sniffing/pawing one specific area of his abdomen.

DH first pointed this out to me - I think he thinks it's odd but unconcerning. A few times each day (and that's just when I'm there) she stands up against him and really sniffs this spot, a few inches to the left of his navel, occasionally gently pawing at it. There is nothing to be seen on the skin.

Last night when he took a shower I watched dog retrieve the t-shirt he'd just taken off, put it on the floor and sniff/paw the part of it that'd been on the bit of skin she sniffs. It made me feel uneasy, to be honest - she's never even taken a smelly gym sock from the laundry basket before now, and it seems strange to me that she's taking an interest in such a seemingly boring patch of skin.

So, am I being really stupid giving this any headspace whatsoever? Genuine question, and would actually be quite happy to be told yes, as I can worry a bit obsessively sometimes.

Get GP appointment not nurse - you want the GP to feel stomach for anything unusual and refer on if needed.

My dog always knew I was pregnant before I did. He never left my side. Trust the dog.

Although I knew that some dogs are capable of detecting cancers, I think I assumed that the reason it ever makes the news is because it must be such a rare occurrence (hope that makes sense). Given that several of you on this thread have personal experience of it perhaps it's not so 'out there' for me to be concerned.

@Bunnyfuller wow, what a clever dog, and what a frightening time you must have had. Best wishes for your continued recovery.

Knowing how soft DH is about Dog, I think I'll mention the t-shirt thing to him when he's home this evening and let him know that however daft it sounds to him, there's a small chance she might be trying to tell him something.

Oh dogs are bloody amazing. I love them, they can tell us a lot. Best wishes to you and husband OP, make that appointment.

It's well known that dogs have an amazing sense of smell and can smell disease/illness... yet another one saying get DH to the GP...

When you say he is "fit and strong" what exactly do you mean?

Go.
My brother's dog was doing this and my brother was diagnosed with cancer. Sorry to scare you, but he kept going on about the dog knowing and how he wished he'd acted even sooner.

With our private health insurance you can have a Skype meeting with a private GP who can then refer on if needed. See if yours is the same!

It was my sisters dog that found my breast cancer, i would encourage hubby to get checked

@ArgyMargy I just mean that he does plenty of exercise, is always full of energy and looks like a typically fit and well man. Eats a very good and balanced diet, doesn't drink much, never smoked, always been active and healthy.

Yes get it checked, dogs can sniff out certain health problems and some dogs can detect one t spoon of sugar in the equivalent of 2 swimming pools of water.

I would agree with others to get this checked out. The same thing was happening with my DH - dog was following him around, sniffing him more than usual etc and it turned out he had a viral thyroiditis (not cancer). He was feeling slightly under the weather but nothing that he was particularly concerned about but I made him go to the GP because of the way the dog was acting. The GP was amazed that he didn't have any more symptoms because his thyroid levels were off the scale and he was heading for a thyroid crisis. He has since made a full recovery.

This is incredible! I never knew pets did this. Hope you get answers soon OP

Ah ok @thethirdmrsdewinter - that does sound fit & strong! Sometimes people say fit & healthy when actually their lifestyle & diet are pretty rubbish but they just don't have any active disease.

Yes, please get this checked.

My friend's dog was doing this to her father - he went to get checked and it turned out he had prostate cancer.

Dogs really can smell when there's a problem.

@GigglingHysterically - my dog sometimes snuggles in to my breast and I thought she was being cute. When would I know it's a clue something might be wrong?

My parents dog started jumping up on my dad and nuzzling near his chest, he never would jump up like that, he was so insistent, would not come down when called and kept going up to dad. Turned out dad had lung cancer. Saw the dog do this myself so if it were me I'd get checked.

I heard a Radio 4 programme about the lady being able to smell disease. It was fascinating!

I would rather be sniffed by a gorgeous pooch or a kitten than a person though!

Again, thanks for all the responses, even though they're not what I'd hoped to hear.

I spoke briefly to DH tonight about the sniffing. He has agreed to seek out some sort of medical opinion about it, even though he clearly doesn't think there's anything wrong with him. Whether he actually does or not (I'm predicting some "I'm too busy to see a doctor" responses when I chase it up with him), who knows... but as long as dog keeps up this behaviour, I'm going to keep pointing it out. It wouldn't feel right to me to be so concerned and not badger him about it slightly.

Sounds like your husband needs a colonoscopy he's at the prime age for the discovery of symptomless colorectal cancer

My husband works with a woman whose cat started pawing at the woman’s breast. The woman went to her GP and, after tests, discovered she had breast cancer. She survived and says it is only because of her cat.

Please do badger him more than slightly. I’d be on the phone tomorrow (today!) to be honest. Good luck

The first and only time I will ever post this.
Show him the thread.
Hope he is ok.

Try not to worry but is definitely get it checked if the dog started doing this.
Dogs can detect all sorts so you shouldn't ignore it.

Although my two dogs didn't notice my dds cancer they must have blocked noses!

Constant nagging is very rarely productive - but this is one of those very few cases where I wouldn't let it lie at all.

If your DH thinks it sounds ridiculous to tell your GP that your DDog has been apparently trying repeatedly to alert him to something that's wrong, it's no more or less ridiculous than entire police forces sanctioning full-on drugs searches based on what their dogs alert them to, having smelt something suspicious.

If nothing else, you could always suggest that there's clearly something upsetting the dog and that he's really just going to get it checked out so as to put her mind at rest - how frustrating for dogs that they have such great talents for early diagnoses of 'something's definitely wrong' but not the ability to use speech to tell us about it especially when we deliberately ignore their clear indications

I think there's definitely something amiss. All being well, it'll be a minor infection or similar that can be easily treated - but if it IS something much more serious, you're much better finding out earlier rather than later.