An Australian man experienced a severe health scare after his dog bit him while they were sharing a bed. While some people avoid letting their pets onto their beds, others enjoy the company of their furry companions during sleep.
This particular incident began when the man inadvertently rolled over and struck his dog in the face while asleep. Startled, the dog responded by biting the man’s arm.
The man initially brushed off the incident, but when his arm became swollen and covered with pus-filled lesions, he sought medical attention.
Upon hospital admission, his condition worsened as his blood pressure plummeted, a symptom that can indicate sepsis—a potentially life-threatening complication.
Doctors diagnosed him with necrotizing fasciitis, a severe bacterial infection that can develop when a wound becomes contaminated.
According to the NHS, symptoms of this infection may progress rapidly over the course of hours to days.
The man shared his experience on Reddit, explaining: “My dog only just got the edge of my wrist with 1 deep canine tooth wound. I was told at the time that the bacteria that caused my Necrotising Fasciitis lives on human skin and if any wound is deep enough, there’s roughly a 1 in 10,000 chance that it will enter your system and cause an infection.”
Despite the severity of his condition, medical professionals were able to save his arm, although he did suffer organ damage due to septic shock.
He elaborated: “The surgeons managed to save my arm, although it was close going.”
“The medications prescribed to me accelerated another condition I have, which ended up leaving me in a wheelchair for a while, then crutches for over a year. I’m currently still on crutches.
“There was also some organ damage from the septic shock, which requires regular specialist visits, monitoring/testing, and some ongoing medication.”
He continued: “My kidneys appear to be ok, heart only took minor damage, brain is still a question. I’m slower than I was, and struggling with memory a bit, but I’m still pretty medicated.”
He also mentioned that he continues to keep his dog, as doctors indicated the bacteria likely originated from his own skin, not the dog’s mouth.
“[Doctors] told me that it was almost certainly not from his mouth but from my skin.”
“…I still have my dog, he’s a good boi. He had a rough time when I went to hospital, things escalated so quickly and then I was put into a 5 day induced coma.”