It was 2009 when Claire's dog began acting strange around her. She would refuse to follow her commands or even spend time with her.
She initially shrugged it off, thinking that her dog was just acting out. But sadly, the truth was far worse.
Fatigue
One day, Claire woke up feeling exhausted despite getting enough sleep the night before. The fatigue never went away, so she set up an appointment with her family doctor to make sure everything was okay.
She told her doctor that she was worried about her health because she was constantly experiencing nausea, exhaustion, and loss of appetite.
Nothing Serious
The doctor, however, dismissed her concerns with a quick diagnosis that wasn't confirmed by any tests.
He gave Claire a prescription for painkillers and antibiotics and told her to rest at home.
Not Working
The doctor thought that Claire had the flu and sent her home. She followed the doctor's advice and took a few days off for bed rest.
However, the medicine wasn't helping with the shooting pain in her chest, and Claire couldn't help but think that she was seriously ill.
Daisy
Claire adopted her beloved dog Daisy when she was still a puppy.
“I visited lots of places but eventually drove to a farmhouse where a rust-colored labrador puppy called Daisy was sleeping by the stove with her mum," she said.
The One
"When she woke up, she gazed at me with her big brown eyes and seemed like a thoughtful, gentle dog, I knew she was the one."
Daisy absolutely adored her owner, so when she suddenly started acting strange around her, Claire knew something was wrong.
Strange Behavior
Daisy was five years old when her behavior changed. She would refuse to follow any of Claire's commands.
Claire initially thought that her dog was feeling unwell.
Healthy
She took her to several vets, and they all assured her that Daisy was perfectly healthy.
It soon became apparent to Claire that her beloved dog had a problem with her personally.
Not In The Mood
Then, one day, Claire drove Daisy and her two other dogs to the dog park. But instead of playing with the others, Daisy wouldn't move from the car.
Instead, she walked up to Claire and nudged her chest with her nose.
Sudden Pain
“What’s wrong, Daisy?” Claire asked her. She eventually managed to get her dog out of the car and out for the walk.
Suddenly, she felt pain in her chest, as if someone had just hit her in her breast.
Discovery
The pain never went away. “That evening, as I took off my bra, I noticed a small lump under the skin,” she recalls.
Claire immediately reached for her phone and set an appointment with another doctor. It was clear that her dog had sensed something.
A Cyst
Fortunately, the lump turned out to be a harmless cyst that can sometimes cause pain and general discomfort.
However, the specialist also ordered a core biopsy to check deeper breast tissue, just in case.
Results
A few hours later, Claire received a call from her doctor asking to come in as soon as possible.
“I had a small tumor in my breast and would need surgery immediately,” Claire said.
Early Stage
"The first thing that came into my head was the anxious look Daisy had given me when she was bumping her nose into my chest," she continued.
Luckily, the cancer was caught in its early stages, and the chances of Claire surviving the next few years are high.
Grateful
“I suddenly felt guilty for thinking Daisy was misbehaving and realized that her warning had saved my life," Claire said.
"Even though I was involved in cancer research, I didn’t realize what Daisy was trying to tell me.”