Owner was puzzled when her Miniature Cavapoo kept licking and nuzzling into her — after a mammogram, she finally understood why

This remarkable story highlights the incredible abilities dogs have, especially their highly sensitive sense of smell.

PUBLISHED 2 HOURS AGO

(L) A woman with her pet dog. (R) A doctor checking an x-ray scan. (Representative Cover Image Source: Getty Images | (L) Dobri Dobrev, (R) ilbusca)

Pets often hold a special place in our lives, offering companionship and loyalty that can’t be measured. But sometimes, their roles go beyond being just a friend; they can play a crucial part in our well-being. One such story involves a dog whose instinctive behavior made a life-changing difference for her owner. When Suzanne's pet canine unexpectedly started licking and nuzzling her, she didn't realize that the dog's actions were an attempt to alert her to a serious medical issue.

Nurse helping patient during check-up. (Representative Image Source: Getty Images | Tom Werner)

As reported by Pets Radar, Artie, a Miniature Cavapoo from Sheffield, England, was recently honored with the National Pet Day award for her heroic actions. Adopted by Suzanne just over two years ago, Artie and her owner quickly became inseparable. Suzanne recalls a time when Artie’s behavior seemed unusual, with the dog licking and nuzzling her more intensely than usual. At the time, Suzanne didn’t think much of it, but the real significance of Artie’s actions would soon become clear.

Woman hugging her pet dog. (Representative Cover Image Source: Getty Images | Oscar Wong) — Woman hugging her pet dog. (Representative Image Source: Getty Images | Oscar Wong)

It wasn’t until a routine medical check-up led to a shocking diagnosis that Suzanne made the connection. "It was only after a routine mammogram revealed I had stage 2 breast cancer that I looked back and realized she must have sensed something was wrong," Suzanne said. "My tiny Artie, who’s by my side 24/7, noticed something I couldn’t—and in hindsight, I truly believe she was trying to tell me." Thanks to Artie’s unusual behavior, Suzanne sought medical attention and was able to receive early treatment. "I went on to have surgery, radiotherapy, and I’m currently on a five-year course of anti-cancer medication," she shared.

A doctor examining a cancer patient's X-ray. Representative Image Source: Getty Images | Maskot — A doctor examining a cancer patient's X-ray. (Representative Image Source: Getty Images | Maskot)

This remarkable story highlights the incredible abilities dogs have, especially their highly sensitive sense of smell. Research is ongoing into how dogs can detect medical conditions such as cancer, and charities like Medical Detection Dogs are training dogs to identify certain diseases from urine and swab samples. Amy Angus from the Pets Foundation, which recognized Artie’s contribution, praised her as a shining example of how pets can go above and beyond for their owners. “At The Pets Foundation, we understand that our pets are so much more than companions. Our pets are capable of amazing things, and Artie is a testament to this. We’re so proud to support organizations honing the incredible talent of dogs, and to celebrate the amazing abilities of dogs like Artie,” Angus said.

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She also shared with Daily Star, "We’ve been working with the Medical Detection Dogs as one of our Assistance Dog Grant recipients for three years, supporting them with funding for their incredible work." Just like Artie, another family’s two dogs kept licking the same spot on their dad’s head, a habit that seemed odd at first. Doctors later discovered a cancerous tumor exactly where the dogs had been licking, revealing they had sensed it long before anyone knew. After treatment began, the dogs never licked that spot again, remaining by his side as loyal companions.