Vets issue scary warning against kissing your dog after an Ohio woman lost her arms and legs
It is only natural for us to give our cherished furry companions lots of cuddles, belly rubs and tender kisses as they bring so much happiness and love into our lives. Some pet parents even embrace slobbery, wet licks as a sign of their furry babies' affection in return. However, sometimes, love bites back. In a shocking turn of events, a woman in Ohio had to have her hands and legs amputated to save her life after an innocent lick from a playful puppy caused a serious infection, as reported by FOX8.
In 2019, the woman, Marie Trainer, from Stark County, Ohio, returned home from vacation with a minor cut on her hand. She thought little of it as she was greeted with loving kisses from her dog. However, within days, her health took a rapid downturn. As her symptoms worsened, she thought it was only the flu and her husband, Matt Trainer, took her to the hospital, where she slipped into a coma. When she was in an unconscious state, it became evident that this was not just flu, per CNN. Shockingly, nine days later, she woke up in a hospital bed to know that her hands and legs had been amputated.
Marie was suffering from a rare bacterial infection called Capnocytophaga canimorsus. She most likely contracted it when her German shepherd puppy, Taylor, licked the small cut on her hand. When this bacteria enters the human body, it might trigger a negative immunological reaction. It is present in the saliva of dogs and cats. In severe cases, it triggers blood clotting that cuts off circulation to the limbs, sometimes leading to amputations. Vets have raised concerns about dogs being silent carriers of zoonotic diseases—those that jump from animals to humans. Researchers at Penn State have also urged pet owners to practice caution, per UNILAD.
They also raised concerns about antibiotic-resistant salmonella, which can lead to diarrhea and, in severe cases, may even be fatal. The study's author, Sophia Kenney, said, "Especially with salmonella, we think about the role of agriculture and transmission - we think about eggs, we think about beef. But the thing is, we don't let cows sleep in our beds or lick our faces, but we do dogs. We have this close bond with companion animals in general, and we have a really close interface with dogs." Not just this, the Falls Village Veterinary Hospital in Raleigh, North Carolina, also stated, "Dogs have a reputation for being fairly indiscriminate about the things they sniff, lick, and eat. For this reason, their mouths can easily become home to bacteria like E. coli, campylobacter and salmonella."
They added, "These microorganisms are zoonotic, which means they can be readily passed from one species to another." They continued, "Certain parasites like giardia, roundworms, and hookworms can also be transmitted through licks. These organisms can cause severe abdominal pain and digestive problems in dogs and humans." Meanwhile, Dr. Margaret Kobe, the infectious disease medical director at Aultman Hospital in Canton, Ohio, was responsible for Marie's treatment. She said, "This is off the scale, one of the worst cases we have seen in terms of how ill people become with infections. She was close to death." Gina Premier, Marie's stepdaughter said, "That was a pretty hard pill for us to all swallow."