A dog owner says her pooch saved her life, by repeatedly pawing at her armpit, which eventually alerted her to breast cancer.
The 61-year-old says her chihuahua Flag started the odd behavior years ago, constantly hitting the underside of her arm with his paw.
She originally dismissed the behavior, until she spotted a small lump under her breast and started to suspect her pup was trying to tell her something.
Kristine Richards, the retiree from Wellington, Somerset, went to an oncologist and was diagnosed with an aggressive form of hormone sensitive lobular breast cancer, which had already spread to her lymph nodes.
But, after a year of intense treatments, Kristine is now cancer free, and says that this is down to Flag’s detecting skills – because there were no other symptoms, even though the disease was advanced at the time.
“It was very annoying, I must say, at the time, but then I started to wonder… I had heard that dogs could tell if there was cancer.
Kristine finally went to the oncologist, who said it is quite common for dogs to sniff these issues out.
“You can’t underestimate the shock. I couldn’t take it in. I just started crying.”
“He saved my life. I owe my dog everything.”
Kristine Richards / SWNS
Following her diagnosis, Kristine underwent surgical, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and drug therapy treatment.
But, one year later she heard the news that the cancer was in remission. Best of all, it has not come back in the years since.
Kristine reports that Flag stopped pawing at her arm after her first round of chemotherapy—and hasn’t done it again since.
“I am now in remission. I cried with relief when they told me. It was like getting to the end of a very long journey where you don’t quite know where you are going.”
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Flag is now her trained assistance dog, and gets lots of hugs and treats – especially the lamb ones which are his favorite.
Flag is a local celebrity, and was once even named the honorary town mayor of St Marychurch, in Torquay (the charming coast located in Devon, England).
Kristine recalled, “When I got him, he wanted to chew everything. My sister said he was useless and trouble—little did she know.“
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“He is very popular, my dog. He is a little community champion and super intelligent.”
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