A military dog sniffs a urine sample during a demonstration to detect Covid, at an army veterinary hospital in New Delhi. (Reuters)
NEW DELHI: In a first for the country, the Indian Army is using its dogs for quick detection of Covid-19 to cut down time delays associated with regular diagnostic techniques.
The canine members of the armed force are known for their pronounced olfactory capability and have earlier helped in explosive and narcotics detection, search and rescue operations, and other challenging tasks. Now, they have another job.
Two dogs – two-year-old cocker spaniel Casper and one-year-old Jaya, a chippiparai , which is an indigenous breed from Tamil Nadu – have been trained to detect Covid-19 by sniffing samples of sweat and urine, senior Army officials said.