A resident of Wisconsin ( USA ) had to be amputated urgently after being licked by a dog, reports the Washington Post on Tuesday, July 31. He was poisoned by a bacterium present in the saliva of the animal. Doctors had no choice but to amputate four limbs to contain the infection.
On the day of the drama Greg Manteufel, a 48-year-old professional painter, had been in contact with eight different dogs, including one of his own. During the day, he was affected by fever and vomiting. The next morning, her fever worsened, accompanied by bouts of delirium. His wife decided to take him to the hospital.
Initially, doctors tried to treat him by administering intravenous antibiotics, to no avail. Clots had already formed, and they blocked the blood flow to the extremities, causing tissue death. A week later, Greg Manteufel had already lost the use of his legs and hands. The doctors decided to amputate both legs and both hands to limit the infection and save the life of their patient.
Severe septic shock
The bacterium in question is called capnocytophaga canimorsus.Frequently present in dogs, including healthy ones, it is usually safe for humans. But in very rare cases, it can poison the blood and cause septic shock. That’s what happened to Greg Manteufel.
When the doctors told him that he should be amputated, the forty-year-old welcomed the new “no negativity” and asked them to “do what they [had] to do” to keep him alive.