Hospital uses dogs to sniff out C. diff

Finding minute traces of antibiotic-resistant Clostridium difficile, or C. diff, bacteria in hospital rooms can be difficult—but not if you’ve got a dog's heightened sense of smell. 

Vancouver General Hospital has found success with its first “superbug”-tracking dog, Angus, who in less than a year has found more of 100 instances of the bacteria, according to the Vancouver Sun, allowing the hospital to bring in ultraviolet light disinfectors to more thoroughly clean rooms and patient areas.

In one instance, Angus sniffed out a C. diff specimen hidden by a government official under a stretcher less than 10 seconds after entering the hallway.

For more on the program, and why the hospital is expanding its canine workforce with another C. diff-sniffing dog, click on the link below: