London - Trainer dogs can smell if you’re having an epileptic fit, researchers have found.
In an experiment, five trained dogs were given breath and sweat samples from epileptics. Three of the animals could tell if the people had been having a seizure with 100 percent accuracy.
A collaborative study between a French research team of the University of Rennes, and an Indiana based service dog organization, Medical Mutts, showed that dogs are able to detect an odour collected from patients during an epileptic seizure.
Dr Amelie Catala, who led the study from the University of Rennes in France, said: "The fact that dogs are able to identify a seizure when it is occurring is of great interest. It could also lead to an electronic nose to act as a warning system."
The researchers said more evidence was needed to see if dogs can detect seizures before they started. The study was published in the journal Scientific Reports.