A new study published in The Journal of Parkinson’s Disease has shown that dogs can detect Parkinson’s disease using scent with remarkable accuracy. In a double-blind trial, the dogs identified skin swabs from people with Parkinson’s with up to 80% sensitivity and 98% specificity, even when other health conditions were present. This breakthrough discovery offers hope for a simple, non-invasive diagnostic method that could potentially lead to earlier treatment and slowed disease progression.
Researchers at the University of Bristol collaborated with Medical Detection Dogs to train two dogs, Bumper and Peanut, to distinguish between sebum swabs from people with and without Parkinson’s disease. The dogs were trained on over 200 odor samples and presented with samples in a stand system, rewarded for correctly indicating positive or negative results.
The study’s findings suggest that the dogs can detect the unique “odour” of Parkinson’s disease, which appears long before traditional symptoms become visible. This discovery has significant implications for the diagnosis and treatment of the disease, as timely detection could slow down disease progression and reduce symptom intensity.
According to Claire Guest, CEO and Chief Scientific Officer of Medical Detection Dogs, “Dogs can very accurately detect disease, and this study is a great example of that.” Nicola Rooney, Associate Professor at Bristol Veterinary School, added that identifying diagnostic biomarkers of Parkinson’s disease is crucial for developing early detection methods. The research demonstrates the potential of dogs as a tool in diagnosing Parkinson’s disease, offering a faster and more accessible method than traditional tests.
The study was published on July 15, 2025, and provides new hope for those affected by Parkinson’s disease.
Source: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/07/250716000846.htm