.jpg)
Strange news from Grand Rapids, Michigan today as a Jack Russell terrier saved its owners life after gnawing off the man’s big toe.
Yes, you read that correctly.
Forty-eight year old Jerry Douthett’s dog, Kiko, sniffed out an infection that had been growing in Jerry’s toe for several months. The wound had been the result of a small sliver that Douthett had attempted to remove himself by cutting at it with a knife. What ensued was a serious infection that would swell greatly over time, and eventually would spread to the underlying bone.
Douthett’s wife, a registered nurse, recognized the infection as possibly related to diabetes, and urged her husband to seek medical attention. After weeks of delay, Jerry would finally be forced to heed this advice.
The canine-amputation resulted in a hospital visit that would uncover Jerry’s type II diabetes, as it was undiagnosed at the time. Doctors removed what was left of the gnarled and infected toe at the hospital.
Kiko had been sniffing at the wound for quite some time, but was finally able to rid his owner of the infected toe when Jerry came home from a bar. Jerry had drank several beers and margaritas, and fell fast asleep upon arrival. Jerry would wake up later to a missing toe and pool of blood in his bed.
"The toe was gone," said Douthett. "He ate it. I mean, he must have eaten it, because we couldn't find it anywhere else in the house. I look down, there's blood all over, and my toe is gone."
What Kiko was able to sniff out is unfortunately a fairly common situation in the diabetic foot. A loss of pain sensation in diabetic peripheral neuropathy can allow someone to have a serious foot infection without much pain. This is also what would help Kiko chew off the toe without causing too much pain. Combined with the diminished immune system of the diabetic patient, this sets up a dangerous situation.
Now that Douthett is out of the hospital, he has sworn off drinking and is trying to take better care of his health. This starts with working to control his diabetes.
For diabetic patients, it is crucial that they check their feet for open wounds or areas that look like the skin is breaking down. These areas can quickly become infected. For a person with diabetes, something as simple as a hangnail could turn into a big problem. Jerry Douthett learned this in a difficult way.
No comments:
Post a Comment