Dog Eats Michigan Man's Big Toe, Saves His Life

[Sin]

http://www.news.com.au/breaking-news/world...i-1225901056125

A DOG who chewed off his owner's big toe after the Rockford, Michigan man passed out after a day of drinking was Tuesday being hailed a lifesaver, The Grand Rapids Press reports.

Kiko, a Jack Russell terrier, could sense there was an infection festering in Jerry Douthett's right big toe and acted when his owner was passed out.

"Jerry had had all these margaritas, so I just let him sleep," Mr Douthett's wife, Rosee, a registered nurse, said.

"But then I heard these screams coming from the bedroom, and he was yelling, 'My toe's gone, my toe's gone!'"

It turns out the 48-year-old had been suffering from Type 2 diabetes and Kiko had sniffed out the problem - literally, as dogs have up to 220 million olfactory receptors, compared to 50 million or so in humans.

When admitted to hospital, Mr Douthett had a dangerously high blood-sugar level of 560, significantly higher than the recommended 80 to 120.

Mr Douthett admitted he had been hiding his infected foot from people, including his wife.

"It smelled, and I look back now and realise every time we'd visit someone with a dog, their dog would be sniffing all over my foot," Mr Douthett said.

The musician said he had been working up the courage to attend a doctor when he downed four or five beers and two giant margaritas and passed out on his bed.

He woke up and found the year-old dog beside him on the bed and a pool of blood near his foot.

"The toe was gone," Mr Douthett said.

"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."

Test in hospital revealed Mr Douthett had a deep infection down to his bone and doctors were forced to amputate what was left of the toe.

But before it was amputated Mr Douthett joked with a nurse and asked her if he could keep the rest of the toe as a treat for Kiko.

"If it hadn't been for that dog, I could have ended up dead," Mr Douthett said.

haha@treats!

[raz]

Cool dog. Moron owner.

[spottychick]

OH GOD! That's just hideous. Oh no.... god.... i think I'm going to hurl. LOL Seriously that story has made me go all squirmy and stuff.

[Kissindra]

bleeeeeeeeeeeeeugh! oh that is just so gross!

[Kirislin]

I wonder if it's related to this dog

nom nom nom nom.

sorry redangel, couldn't help myself.

Edited August 5, 2010 by Kirislin

[casowner]

I know a lady whose pet posum kept constantly scratching/biting one particular spot on her arm, turns out the spot was malignant and if it wasn't from the possum harassing her she said she would never have sought treatment

[ILK]

How drunk would one have to be not to notice that a body part is getting eaten off

[RiverStar-Aura]

I've actually always wondered about dogs being able to sense infections. I frequently get infected toenails (due to years of ballet) and whenever I had an infection, Poochie would always make a beeline for my toe and start licking.

But in all seriousness, why on Earth this man didn't just go to the doctor before it got so bad is beyond my comprehension. It must've been ridiculously painful and I don't even want to think about what kind of gunk it would've been oozing (because if it smelled ... ). Some people are just really, really, REALLY moronic!