Bruno is very concerned about his owner when he “passes out.”
Can dogs predict fainting?
While it’s long been accepted that dogs have a keen sense of smell, recent research has shown that they may also be able to detect other bodily changes that humans can’t. For instance, studies have shown that dogs can be trained to alert their owners when their blood sugar is low, and there is evidence that they can also detect cancer. This heightened sense of smell is thought to be due to the fact that dogs have more scent receptors than humans – up to 300 million, compared to our measly 6 million. Now, new research suggests that dogs may also be able to predict when someone is about to faint. The study, which was published in the journal Frontiers in Physiology, found that dogs were able to detect changes in body odor before their owners showed any visible signs of fainting. While more research is needed to confirm these findings, they suggest that dogs could one day be used to help people with conditions like epilepsy or diabetes by warning them of an impending attack.
There are some intriguing reports from dog owners who say their dogs seemed to know when they were about to faint. One woman, for example, reported that her dog would jump up and cling to her leg whenever she felt lightheaded or dizzy. Another woman said her dog would suddenly lie down next to her whenever she felt a fainting spell coming on. While these stories are interesting, it’s important to remember that they are anecdotal evidence and not scientific proof. However, there are some experts who believe that dogs may be able to detect changes in body chemistry that occur before a person faints, so the jury is still out on this one.