Scents detected by trained dogs can accurately diagnose human COVID-19 infection
Multiple studies demonstrate that trained detection dogs can accurately identify human COVID-19 infections from breath, sweat, or respiratory secretions with high sensitivity and specificity, though performance can vary by viral variant and sample type.
The retrieved literature consistently shows that trained dogs can detect SARS-CoV-2 from human biological samples (sweat, breath, respiratory secretions) with high diagnostic accuracy, supporting the claim. While one study notes limitations with specific variants like Omicron, the overall body of evidence strongly favors the claim.
Omar Vesga, Andres F. Valencia, Alejandro Mira, Felipe Ossa, Esteban Ocampo, Maria Agudelo, Karl Čiuoderis, Laura Perez, Andres Cardona, Yudy Aguilar, Javier M. González, Juan C. Cataño, Yuli Agudelo, Juan P. Hernández-Ortiz, Jorge E. Osorio. Dog Savior: Immediate Scent-Detection of SARS-COV-2 by Trained Dogs. 2020. https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.06.17.158105
Demonstrates that trained dogs can identify SARS-CoV-2 in respiratory secretions with very high sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy.
Cattet J, Retornaz F, Munier F, Collignon C, Gaunet F. Dogs' Detection of Symptomatic and Asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 by Non-Working Dogs: Feasibility and Limits Under Controlled Laboratory Conditions.. 2026. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani16030480
Notes that while dogs can generalize across some variants, performance dropped significantly for asymptomatic Omicron samples, suggesting limits to diagnostic accuracy under certain conditions.
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Dominique Grandjean. Use of Canine Olfactory Detection for Covid-19 Testing Study on U.A.E. Trained Detection Dog Sensitivity. 2021. https://doi.org/10.23880/oajvsr-16000210
Finds that detection dogs achieved overall sensitivities between 71% and over 90% in identifying COVID-19 from axillary sweat samples.
Ing. Lenka Vlachová, Gustav Hotový, Ing. Jiří Šlechta, Ing. Roman Váňa, Bc. Milena Vokřálová, Mgr. Jiří Zeman. Olfactory detection of human odorant signatures in Covid patients by trained dogs. 2021. https://doi.org/10.1101/2021.07.12.21258827
Shows that specially trained dogs achieved a high reliability rate of 95% in detecting COVID-19 from odor samples.
Schulz C, Twele F, Meller S, Ten Hagen NA, Pilchová V, Wirz K, Clever S, Meyer Zu Natrup C, Volz A, von Köckritz-Blickwede M, Volk HA. Scent dogs identify SARS-CoV-2-infections in respiratory samples from experimentally infected ferrets and hamsters-a pilot study.. 2024. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmed.2024.1476300
Provides evidence that scent dogs detect samples from COVID-19 with diagnostic sensitivity and specificity comparable to human results.
Ben Said S, Jaballah R, Yaakoubi H, Ben Salah H, Youssef R, Mzid N, Kacemi M, Trabelsi I, Ben Ayed A, Ben Ayed S, Boukadida L, Zorgati A, Boukef R. Canine olfactory detection and its relevance for the medical identification of patients with COVID-19.. 2024. https://doi.org/10.1080/23744235.2024.2363887
Reports that sniffer dogs achieved high sensitivity (95.83%) in identifying COVID-19 from axillary sweat samples.
Callewaert C, Pezavant M, Vandaele R, Meeus B, Vankrunkelsven E, Van Goethem P, Plumacker A, Misset B, Darcis G, Piret S, De Vleeschouwer L, Staelens F, Van Varenbergh K, Tombeur S, Ottevaere A, Montag I, Vandecandelaere P, Jonckheere S, Vandekerckhove L, Tobback E, Wieers G, Marot JC, Anseeuw K, D'Hoore L, Tuyls S, De Tavernier B, Catteeuw J, Lotfi A, Melnik A, Aksenov A, Grandjean D, Stevens M, Gasthuys F, Guyot H. Sniffing out safety: canine detection and identification of SARS-CoV-2 infection from armpit sweat.. 2023. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmed.2023.1185779
Finds detection dogs exhibited an overall sensitivity of 81%, specificity of 98%, and accuracy of 95% using sweat samples.
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