“When God created
animals, He declared their creation to be a masterpiece.” ~ Genesis
1:25
God definitely had something
special in mind when he created dogs.
They’re our companions and they’re always looking out for us. They provide unconditional love in their own
unique way.
Then there are the health benefits of having a pet. Just ask Cynthia.
She adopted Rudy, an energetic golden lab, from a shelter
just days before a date with euthanasia.
They’ve had a special bond ever since. She presumed she’d been blessed with a
companion of such sweet temperament, loving passion, and great loyalty, that
God was either rewarding what she’d done or would do.
Every night they enjoyed a little
snack before bedtime. When Cynthia got
into bed, Rudy crawled into his own doggy bed next to hers. That changed about a year ago.
Suddenly, he started jumping
into Cynthia’s bed and licking her face.
She’d scold him and make him get off the bed. The next night he’d do it again. Soon he was jumping on her lap to lick her
face every time she sat down.
Eventually, it dawned on her – Rudy
had been licking the same spot on her cheek frequently. Her jaw felt fine, no pain or lumps. But it seemed so out of Rudy’s character, that
she made an appointment with the doctor for an exam.
After several tests, Cynthia was
diagnosed with osteosarcoma - bone cancer in her jaw. The tumor couldn’t be detected from the
outside but somehow Rudy knew it was there.
Turns out, dogs’ smell receptors
are 10,000 times more accurate than humans, and they have 60 times more of them. The area of canine brains devoted to interpreting
odors is 40 times larger. Dogs also
inhale up to 300 times per minute, meaning that their olfactory cells are
constantly supplied with fresh aromas.
Their genetics and physiology
make them perfectly suited for detecting the practically-odorless chemicals emitted
by cancer cells. Studies over the past
decade have shown dogs could identify lung and breast cancers from exhaled
breath samples with very high accuracy (88% and 99% respectively). That’s better than some lab tests used to
diagnose cancer.
Cynthia survived after chemo and
radiation treatments. Had she waited
until the tumor was big enough to be felt, it likely would have been fatal.
They saved each other’s lives!”
God knew humans would endure sorrow
and heartbreak; that their lives would be complex and chaotic. He created a creature of unique skills - a
pure example of loyalty and kindness to love us perfectly and always welcome us
home. Spelling His name backward, He
called them dogs.
Gracious God, thank You for Rudy, my
dependable companion reminding me that You too are a loyal supporter in my
life. May we continue to be blessed with
an everlasting friendship, the same as our love for You. ~ Cynthia
