GADVASU SENSITIZES FACULTY AND STUDENTS TO CANINE OLFACTION

Pashu Sandesh, 22 October 2021

The Human Resource Management Centre in collaboration with the Institutional Development Plan cell of GADVASU organised a Guest Lecture of highly decorated Army Dog training expert Lt. Col. Surinder Saini from Remount Veterinary Corps to sensitize faculty and students on the Physiology of Canine Olfaction on 22/10/2021. Col Saini remained most instrumental in training the dogs for COVID detection. GADVASU took this initiative with a motive to explore this unexplored field of Veterinary Science. More than 120 students and faculty members attended the lecture. 

Col. S.K. Bhardwaj, Officer Commanding, 1 Pb R & V SQN NCC, Ludhiana introduced the speaker and briefly apprised the audience about the Canine Olfaction. Lt. Col. Surinder Saini explained how the canine olfaction system is different from that of human beings and is more specialised. He explained in detail the various intricate physiological processes involved in canine olfaction and how this quality of dogs can be used in Veterinary Science. He elucidated how dogs have different receptors for different volatile fatty compounds which are secreted by the patients in their secretions and excretions. Keeping, in view about this quality of dogs, they are trained for different functions like medical detection of diseases, cancer, narcotics and explosives etc. He appreciated that GADVASU is taking lead in trying to learn this new field of science and also emphasised that the training of dogs should be taken up for disease detection in Veterinary Sciences. Further, he mentioned that dogs can be trained to detect various diseases in cattle herds like Tuberculosis, Paratuberculosis etc.  Lt. Col Saini also answered the queries of faculty and students  

Lt Col Saini also had a brief meeting with the Worthy Vice-Chancellor where the science of olfaction was discussed and it was deliberated upon how to go ahead with this new science and how to maximally use this quality of dogs in disease detection in Veterinary Science. 

Dr S.P.S. Ghuman, Dean, College of Veterinary Science chaired the session. Dr Ghuman said that the lecture provided interesting facts about the natural olfaction powers of the dogs that make them more powerful companions. He said that he is pretty sure that the precious knowledge provided by Lt. Col. Saini will definitely be of immense help in the learning of the students. He further said the University is looking forward to exploring the use of this science in Veterinary Science. 

Dr L.D. Singla, Director, Human Resource Management Centre thanked the speaker Lt. Col. Surinder Saini for taking out time from his busy schedule and apprising the faculty and students of GADVASU about canine olfaction. He acknowledged Worthy Vice-Chancellor Dr Inderjeet Singh for giving him the opportunity to host the lecture. Dr Singla said that the Vice-chancellor is the major driving force behind the organization of such lectures to enhance professional competency towards less or unexplored areas so as to produce skilled human resources. He also thanked Registrar, GADVASU, Dr H. S. Banga, for his kind support in such activities. Dr Singla also thanked Dr Paramjit Kaur and Dr Nitin Dev Singh for making arrangements for organizing this lecture.