How A Pet Dog Detected His Owner’s Breast Cancer Before Doctors Could

Breanna Bortner, a 31-year-old woman from Pennsylvania, is convinced that her dog helped detect her life-threatening breast cancer before she even had a clue, according to the New York Post. Breanna first noticed something off in June 2023 when her cockapoo, Mochi, started acting strangely. The usually cuddly pup became obsessed with her right breast, constantly sniffing, pawing, and pressing against it. Things got even more bizarre when her sister-in-law’s cockapoo, Gunner, started doing the same.  

For over a year, Breanna had been feeling exhausted, but she never gave much thought to it. Then, one day, while scratching a mosquito bite near her breast, she felt a lump. That’s when it all settled into place, she had heard stories of dogs detecting cancer through scent, and Mochi’s behaviour suddenly started making sense.

Breanna's Diagnosis 

Determined to get answers, Bortner booked a doctor’s appointment. Within days, she received a life-altering diagnosis—a 'stage 2B triple-negative invasive ductal carcinoma', an aggressive form of breast cancer that doesn’t respond to typical hormonal treatments.  

“That’s how fast and aggressive this triple-negative breast cancer is,” she said. “It went from non-feel-able, non-detectable to a physical lump within three months.”

Breast Cancer In US

Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers among women in the U.S., second only to skin cancer. About 1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime. While early detection boosts survival rates to 89%, that number plummets to 31% if the cancer spreads. 

Bortner went through 16 rounds of chemotherapy followed by a double mastectomy. Looking back, she credits Mochi’s sharp instincts for detecting her cancer in time.  

“We really underestimate how smart [dogs] are just because they don’t talk and they can’t communicate to us, but their actions obviously show us the things that they’re tuning into or are aware of,” she said. 

Science backs this up as there are studies that show dogs can detect cancer. A 2019 study found that trained dogs could identify cancer in blood samples with 97% accuracy. Other research has shown dogs detecting breast, prostate, cervical, and lung cancer, sometimes even before medical tests.  

Breanna's Biggest Emotional Support 

For Bortner, Mochi wasn’t just her 'early warning system', he was also her 'biggest emotional support' throughout her treatment.  

“I was crying all the time and he did not like that. He was very concerned about me. He really turned into my healing buddy. He was a greater purpose for me,” she said.

Last spring, Bortner finally got the news she had been waiting for, 'she was cancer-free'. And just like he had been there from the start, Mochi was right by her side to celebrate.  

“It’s pretty cool to see it come full circle and for him to be there from the time I found the lump all the way through finding out I was cancer-free,” she said. 

While she’s now focused on recovery, she still undergoes 'scans every three months' to monitor for any recurrence.