Internet Goes Nuts for Gluten-Sniffing Dog

Celiac.com 07/28/2023 - A TikTok video featuring Gus, an American Cocker Spaniel, and medical alert and response service dog in training, has gone viral, due to his seeming ability to detect gluten in different foods for his celiac disease owner. 

Celiac disease is a chronic immune disorder triggered by eating foods made with wheat, rye or barley ingredients, which makes it challenging for the owner, Brooke Blair, to eat safely. With his heightened sense of smell, Gus, can differentiate scents and detect gluten in various foods, which helps to significantly improve Blair's quality of life.

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Aside from being a gluten detection dog, Gus is also trained to respond to Blair's cardiac condition known as POTS (postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome). Gus has been undergoing training since he was brought home in September 2022.

Although there's no specific protocol or scientific method for training dogs to detect gluten, experts believe that training such dogs is feasible, if a target associated with the problem can be identified.

The video shows Gus being presented with gluten-free and gluten-containing foods, and he responds by either laying down or gently touching his owner's hand with his mouth to indicate if the food contains gluten or not. TikTok users have expressed delight in the adorable and skilled gluten detection dog, praising him as the "cutest puppy" and "gluten detective."

Gus's ability to detect gluten through his keen sense of smell highlights the potential benefits of using dogs as assistance animals for people with specific medical conditions. Research has shown that a heightened sense of smell enables dogs to sniff out various conditions from cancer and seizures to even stress.

While certification is not required for service animals, proper training and continual learning are crucial for their effectiveness in assisting their owners.

Read more at Newsweek.com