A small 'lick' will sink a great ship: fulminant septicaemia after dog saliva wound treatment in an asplenic patient

Int Wound J. 2017 Dec;14(6):1025-1028. doi: 10.1111/iwj.12752. Epub 2017 Apr 19.

Abstract

Capnocytophaga canimorsus is a bacterium transmitted through the saliva of dogs. An infection can cause severe sepsis with acral necrosis and is potentially fatal. Here, we report the case of a 41-year-old man who was infected through a wound that was licked by his dog. He went into septic shock with disseminated intravascular coagulation and subsequently lost both lower legs, his nose and all the fingers on both hands.

Keywords: Capnocytophaga canimorsus; Dog; Gangrene; Immunosuppression; Saliva; Sepsis.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Amputation, Surgical
  • Animals
  • Bites and Stings / complications*
  • Capnocytophaga / isolation & purification*
  • Dogs
  • Fingers
  • Gangrene / surgery*
  • Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections / complications*
  • Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections / etiology*
  • Humans
  • Leg
  • Male
  • Nose
  • Saliva / microbiology*
  • Shock, Septic / etiology*
  • Shock, Septic / surgery*
  • Treatment Outcome