Service dog’s obsession with pawrent’s belly button led to a life-saving diagnosis: ‘I can never make my dog understand how much he matters to me’

Author image for Laurent Shinar
Laurent Shinar • Writer and Editor
Jan 30, 2025 3:00 PM EST

Well, if cat owners thought their fur babies' were man's best friend, then they were sorely mistaken. Because as much as a cat might be smarter than a dog, more graceful and remains small like a baby for its entire lifespan. There is no cat on this earth that could smell a disease coming. Or at least a cat that would care enough to tell you that a disease is coming and that you should probably do something to stop it. Because when you look at the cold hard facts, dogs have an undying, over the top, relentless love for us hoomans that makes them want to do whatever they can to help. Heck, it would not be all too surprising to see dogs pawforming surgery in the next few years.

And that is the take-away from this story, the story of a heroic doggo, a lucky pawrent and a diligent doctor who pieced all the pieces together to save a life. Need we say more?

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  • 01
    'While I was there I mentioned my dogs strange interest in my bellybutton and the doctor, who was writing a prescription, suddenly stopped.'
    via u/Remote-Physics6980
  • 02
    Apollo was prescribed to me for mobility in 2018. He came home early that year and seem to have a weird fascination for my bellybutton. He would even move my clothing to get to my belly button. Collie noses are pointy, it was impossible to ignore. I had been getting really sick for a while and we went to the doctor so I could get anti-emetics.
    via u/Remote-Physics6980
  • 03
    While I was there I mentioned my dogs strange interest in my bellybutton and the doctor, who was writing a prescription, suddenly stopped. He turned and asked me if I could be in the hospital the next day? Just one
    via u/Remote-Physics6980
  • 04
    day in and out, they would scope me both ends and we would know what was going on. I said "yes", and away we went.
    via u/Remote-Physics6980
  • 05
    Seven (7) miserable morphine and test filled days in the hospital later, my doctor and all the nurses on duty at the time came into my room.
    via u/Remote-Physics6980
  • 06
    Dr said "where is that dog? You be nice to that dog" Apollo was on the bed and I responded "I'm always nice to this dog" he said "that's good, because that dog saved your life." Turns out I had
    via u/Remote-Physics6980
  • 07
    some sessile, stalked polyps in my colon and they got them all! Had they not, I wouldn't be here today. I can never make my dog understand how much he matters to me but I'm gonna spend every day of my life trying to do it any way.
    via u/Remote-Physics6980
  • 08
    [EDIT-it has been brought to my attention that some feel this was a creative writing exercise. It was not. I got Apollo in 2018 and these events happened a year and a half later in 2019 at St.
    via u/Remote-Physics6980
  • 09
    Joseph's Hospital in Eureka, California. The doctors name is Dr. Lieberman. He's a gastroenterologist.
    via u/Remote-Physics6980
  • 10
    If it doesn't make sense to you then chances are good you weren't there and you missed a lot of detail. but hey, I'll keep you in mind next time I have to have a small bowel follow through and you can take my place.
    via u/Remote-Physics6980
  • 11
    Hill-Rom
    via u/Remote-Physics6980

  • Wow, well that has certainly given a whole new meaning to doggos sniffing around in unusual places. Although it is not all too surprising with science having lately turned its attention to training doting doggos to detect a variety of diseases just by using their super sensitive snouts. Earning them once again the position of hooman’s best friend.

  • 12
    Willow-Wolfsbane Waiting Woah! Honestly, I thought this was just someone doing a little creative writing, until I saw the picture! You have an unbelievable story. I'm so glad that Apollo was the dog you ended up with. He sounds amazing!
    via u/Remote-Physics6980
  • 13
    35 PRED NY LANE SERVICE DOG NOT PET
    via u/Remote-Physics6980
  • 14
    fauviste Top 1% Commenter Great dog, and great doctor! Not a lot of them would make that connection. So glad for you ♥ Apollo is a cutie.
    via u/Remote-Physics6980
  • 15
    n. Stories like this honestly stress me out because my dog has been obsessed with shoving her nose in my ear holes since she was a puppy and part of me has always. be like what if its because she can smell something wrong with my brain or something, but I tell myself
    via u/Remote-Physics6980
  • 16
    it's just because some dogs just like stinky ear smells. It can be so hard to distinguish between normal dog behaviour weird dog behaviour or an alert to something. I'm glad your dog helped your doctor realise something was wrong though!
    via u/Remote-Physics6980
  • 17
    Cheezburger Image 10460505600
    via u/Remote-Physics6980

  • Well, this is an interesting one for sure. And kind has the potential for the reverse of what happens when a canine child acts like their stomach is about to explode and after $3000 in vet bills you discover that it was just gas. Though in this case the discovery might be that the doting doggo keeps checking to see if their pawrent actually has a brain because they’ve told them once if not a thousand times that they hate  the food they are given.

  • 18
    spicypappardelle Give her some treats and scratches for me! I'm glad she was there for you.
    via u/Remote-Physics6980
  • 19
    No-Iron2290 You've had him for 5 years and he's been alerting to it but if you didn't happen to go to the doctor and then a next day appointment for testing you would have ?? That's so scary! I don't know what we would do without them!
    via u/Remote-Physics6980
  • 20
    Cheezburger Image 10460505856
    via u/Remote-Physics6980
  • 21
    scaphoids1 My dog who is borderline unhealthily obsessed with all belly buttons is real quiet right now
    via u/Remote-Physics6980
  • 22
    sggnz96 What a beautiful hero !! A true friend and life guardian ! They are seers They are magic wee souls tjat see what we cannot Oh I'm so happy to read this !! Thank you for making my night
    via u/Remote-Physics6980
  • 23
    mrabbit1961 Inny bellybuttons grow cheesy stuff unless you clean them out pretty often. Take a damp q-tip, run it around the inside of your bellybutton, and sniff. That's probably what the dogs are after.
    via u/Remote-Physics6980
  • 24
    Cheezburger Image 10460506112
    via u/Remote-Physics6980

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life saver dogs matter never obsession service dog belly button pawrents understand make
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