Turns out dogs can sniff out more than just a buried bone, concealed illegal substances and other stuff hidden right under our human noses. Donna Waugh, a trainer and president of the Arkansas Search Dog Association, can actually train dogs to sniff out cancer, particularly ovarian cancer. The amazing thing is that these dogs don’t necessarily have to be trained to do such a thing as they are naturally skilled in the detection of certain scents.

“Our bodies produce all sorts of things. Some waste materials are excreted through the kidney [or] the liver, some are excreted through the lungs,” said Dr. Len Lichtenfeld, deputy chief medical officer for the American Cancer Society. “The concept of there being something that a cancer might produce — a volatile substance [that a dog could smell] — is perhaps not mainstream, but it’s not as far-fetched as it sounds.”