Sniffing out seizures before they happen

New research says dogs could help develop a life-saving, early warning system for people who live with epilepsy. Photo: dpa

Man's best friend can not only fend off burglars or herd farm animals or sniff out bombs and drugs, but can also predict epileptic seizures, according to researchers at Queen’s University Belfast (QUB).

The seizures “are associated with a specific smell which is detectable by pet dogs”, a university-led research team in Northern Ireland said.