A Disease-Sniffing Dog

What could be better medicine than a dog’s kiss? Nothing, especially for Karen Ruddlesden whose Labrador, Coco, warns her when she’s on the verge of an Addison’s crisis. The 2-year-old dog, trained by Cancer and Bio-detection Dogs, licks Karen’s hands and smells her breath when he senses her cortisol levels are low. Karen has little time between starting to feel unwell and being in crisis, and this early warning is essential for her health and confidence. “I can relax when out and about knowing Coco is there to look after me,” Karen says. “He’s already got his pet passport and we’re planning a trip to Europe together this autumn.”