Dog is trained to detect hospital superbug

It takes a microscope to see what Angus can smell.

The springer spaniel is specially trained to track Clostridium difficile, C. diff, considered one of the most common hospital superbugs, at Vancouver General Hospital.

“Their sense of smell is above and beyond anything we can even comprehend,” dog trainer Teresa Zurburg told CBS News.

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The hospital started what is considered the first of its kind program about three years ago when Zurburg started training Angus. He was 10 weeks old.

Angus built his skills over time and now is tested in a room where the C. diff odors are hidden. His success rate is 95-100 percent.

“If it’s got an odor, I can train a dog to find it,” Zurburg told CBS News.

And soon, Angus’ brother Dodger will be trained for similar work.