Chronic wasting disease, a fatal prion disease found in cervids, can be detected by dogs trained to identify the scent, according to a new study published today in PLoS One. The dogs were able to identify infected deer through feces samples.
Six dogs were trained using scent boxes and fecal samples from both farmed and wild white-tail deer (WTD).
"A session consisted of 20 trials for each of the six dogs with the position of each box being pseudo-randomized for each trial. During initial training for the passive "sit" response, it took 8 sessions to solidify the desired behavioral response," the authors wrote. "One randomly positioned box of the five held a vial containing fecal material collected from a CWD infected WTD."
Dogs were more than 80% accurate
After 2 days of scent box testing the animals were field tested, and then were given various tests to sniff out CWD, all with more than 80% accuracy.
"CWD management is complicated by the lack of practical, rapid, non-invasive, live-animal screening tests," the authors wrote. "This study adds to our understanding of the fundamentals of mammalian olfaction and how it can be leveraged to be used as an important tool in the surveillance and management of CWD."
CWD management is complicated by the lack of practical, rapid, non-invasive, live-animal screening tests
The authors of the study said next steps would include determining if dogs can detect the urine and feces of CWD infected deer at historical bait stations and long vacated salt licks.
