A good friend of mine recently sent me a text saying a close family relative was in the hospital. They'd thought it might have been a heart or lung problem.
"But what started it all was a scratch he got while working in his yard. He didn't take care of it, didn't put a band aid on it and for a few weeks allowed his dog to lick it which resulted in a blood infection.
One morning he couldn't walk so his wife thought it was his heart. He's sedated now to give his heart, lungs and body a rest while fighting the infection. It's so scary."
This reminds me of the time when Art got a dog bite at our school. Once he retired, Art had been volunteering in my 1st grade classroom listening to my students read stories to him that they had written.
One day, as he walked to his car, a dog ran up to him and bit his hand. The dog's owner had been walking the dog around our school. Art walked back into our school to have the wound cleaned before going home. He chuckled later saying our principal was actually thrilled. She and our custodians had been trying to get his woman to stop walking her dog on school property for a long time and she would not listen thinking the children would love her dog. Our principal implored Art to take the dog owners to court.
Art then followed up with a trip to the hospital just to make sure his wound could be treated carefully.
And yes, he did go to court and was surprised when the owner's husband who happened to be a lawyer told Art that they were sending the dog away from the school area. The city agreed to settle this out of court. Our principal and teachers were elated.
Please know that Art loves dogs and his family had a dog their entire lives. Our children dog sat for friends all the time. But we've always been careful.
I looked online to see just how dangerous dog saliva can be and found this on Continental Hospitals website:
I also saw this on another website:
One of the women in Sue’s photo group almost died from a scratch on the nose from rose bush. It led to necrotizing fasciitis and the loss of many feet of her bowels. She’s fine now, or relatively so, but it was quite an ordeal.
ReplyDeleteGosh, what a thing to happen. Good warnings.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the warning-Christine cmlk79.blogspot.com
ReplyDeleteWow!
ReplyDeleteAny break in the skin can be deadly for older people. My doctor always looks for breaks in my skin and bruising when I'm in for a checkup. Sometimes there is questioning about HOW that happened. Most of the time I have no idea how I got bruised or broke the skin. Not the answer she wants to hear. I just don't have time to stop and analyze every bump or scratch. .
ReplyDeleteDoes this mean no doggie kisses too? 🐶💋
ReplyDeleteShared this with my daughter and son in law as they have a dog. Thanks for sharing this. Never have been comfortable about grandkids kissing the dog.
ReplyDeleteImportant information to know. My older grandsons (with parents) are going to visit the other grandparents in Iowa and they have a Husky. That breed isn't known for being great for children, so I'm concerned about potential issues. My daughter and son-in-law are very cautious but I'm still nervous!
ReplyDeleteI know that my pup sure loves picking up disgusting and icky things. It is in their nature. I'm still a dog person despite the scary news about dog saliva. Their dishes are never washed in any water I'd wash my own dishes in. The infections from C . canimorsus from dog saliva is less than one per million, so I don't get too excited about it.
ReplyDeleteCats carry the same bacteria in their mouths.
Always err on the safe side.
It is always advisable to clean any cut or graze thoroughly .
ReplyDeleteMy family loves dogs. I know some are dangerously aggressive. Careful always.
ReplyDeleteInteresting. I remember when my dad had bypass surgery and they took veins from his leg, my mother had their dog lick his leg wounds to help them heal. And they did. What? This was an old home remedy thing. Are dog mouths just more dangerous now, or ???????
ReplyDeleteKay of Musings: 😳 Wooow!
DeleteKay of Musings: I just found this online.
Delete“ Yes, ancient societies truly believed dog saliva had healing powers, and the practice has roots in ancient Greece where dogs were trained to lick patients' wounds. While saliva contains certain antibacterial proteins (like histatins and lysozyme), doctors strongly advise against it now because a dog's mouth carries harmful bacteria that can cause severe infections.The belief likely stemmed from observing that dogs instinctively lick their own wounds to clear debris and stimulate blood flow. However, veterinary and medical professionals emphasize that the risks of contamination vastly outweigh any marginal benefit from the saliva itself.”
Wow! Sure wish that guy had even cleaned and covered his wound. Sad how infections happen so quickly in the bloodstream. Bummer that the schoolyard dog walker thought it was cool. Glad Art's injury healed. Linda in Kansas
ReplyDeleteHi Kay! Having worked with animals and Veterinarians my whole life, I've been bitten and scratched... but I have almost always cleanerd the wound and put antibiotic cream on it. Never had a problem, but am aware of the possibility. And yes, I've also heard that in the past, people would let animals lick their wounds... not sure that's ever a good idea.
ReplyDeleteFortunately most dogs you encounter are pleasant critters but there are miserable dogs in the bunch.
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness. I learned something today. I am so sorry to hear about the man that passed away. Thank you to your husband for following through on the dog bite at school.
ReplyDeleteMy mom's cat bit her and sent her badly to the hospital a few years ago
ReplyDeleteOh my! I always thought that my germs were bad for my dogs. I know that turtles can carry germs so I make sure I wash my hands with soap and water whenever I pick him up.
ReplyDeleteMy great grandmother was hit by a train that shattered one of her legs. It healed up extremely well and according to my grandmother (her daughter), my great grandmother always said the reason why is because she let her dog lick the wounds every night. I guess I always believed that story but now after reading this, I wonder if this is one of many old tales that aren't true that I've found along my family tree. Fortunately I have no dogs anymore and am married to a doctor so antibiotics and bandages are the norm for me.
ReplyDeleteSadly, I know several people who were attacked by dogs. Thanks for sharing this important information and spreading awareness.
ReplyDeleteIt is so very important to watch out for any cuts or wounds! Dog attacks are very much something that folks have to watch out for. Often we will see people carrying golf clubs while we are out walking. They don't carry them to hit golf balls!
ReplyDeleteIn India, dog licks are mostly considered harmless, but a dog bite has to be treated immediately. Anti-rabies injections have to be administered within 24 hrs. They are quite painful. I’m surprised this is not done in the US.
ReplyDeleteKay, thank you for this post. I have a friend that I am going to show her this post. Dee
ReplyDelete