If you're a dog-lover like me, there are few stories that will strike more fear in you than this one from my home state of Wisconsin!

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I first saw that headline about a man from West Bend (which is about a half-hour northwest of Milwaukee) and how he had to have several limbs amputated thanks to a lick from his dog and I thought sure the cause must have been another cause.

But, frighteningly, no. According to this Newsweek story, doctors believe it was just that-- a lick from his dog that started him down this horrible path.

So how can something like this happen, you ask?!? Well, according to the story, Greg Manteufel's body reacted violently and developed sepsis in response to what doctors think was a bacteria that may have been present in his dog's saliva. And, the story said, Manteufel most likely contracted the bacteria after his own dog licked him.

This People story said Greg ended up having "both legs amputated through both of his kneecaps, according to his GoFundMe page. His hands — all of his fingers down to mid-palm — were also removed, with doctors telling his family his nose would need 'extensive repairs' to rebuild," the story said.

Yikes! Good Lord. That's so incredibly horrible, it's hard to wrap your head around isn't it?!? However, a nightmare case like this is also something that rarely happens. "Although almost any infection can cause sepsis, cases like this are very rare. The family’s fundraising page states the bacteria was Capnocytophaga canimorsus. This bacteria is found in the mouths of many dogs, but it almost never leads to sepsis," Newsweek noted.

I'd always heard that old wives' tale about a dog's mouth being cleaner than humans mouths (which, as it turns out, wasn't actually true-- even before this tragic story), so I never minded it when any of the dogs I've had over the years 'gave me a kiss.' But, after reading this, I'll be thinking about it every time our dog, Asher, gets a little licky. Wow.

Listen to Curt St. John from 6 to 10 a.m. on Quick Country 96.5
and from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on 103.9 The Doc

 

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