Re: Disk glue
Every time I have dismantled a disk, it has been held together with screws (I have not tried one full of helium yet). There are plenty of processes making and populating PCBs that could leave a smell, but none of them are unique to a hard disk controller card. My first hard disk (320MB was big in those days - full height 5¼") had a packed PCB that was the full size of the device. These days, the disk is a quarter the area, and the PCB is even smaller.
This dog in incredible. It would be interesting to see if the dog actually has any professional qualifications. If nothing had been found, who would have got the bill?