Dog Saves Michigan Man's Life by Chewing Off His Toe

rockin'robin

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ROCKFORD, Mich. — A Michigan man says he's grateful his dog ate most of his toe while he was passed out drunk.

Jerry Douthett of Rockford says his Jack Russell terrier, Kiko, helped uncover an undiagnosed diabetic condition and led to treatment that could save his life—even if it meant losing his toe.

The Grand Rapids Press reported that the 48-year-old musician knew for a while something was wrong with his foot. He resisted seeking care until giving in to his wife's pressure one day last month.

Before going for an appointment, Douthett says he went out drinking, then came home and passed out. When he awoke, the terrier was beside him in bed and lots of blood was where his toe used to be.

"But then I heard these screams coming from the bedroom, and he was yelling, 'My toe's gone, my toe's gone!'" Douthett’s wife, Rosee told the Grand Rapids Press.

Kiko had sniffed out a major problem that Douthett had been hiding—Type 2 diabetes.

Dogs have 220 million olfactory receptors in their noses, compared to only 50 million in humans.

Dog Bites Off Man's Toe
"It smelled, and I look back now and realize every time we'd visit someone with a dog, their dog would be sniffing all over my foot," Douthett said.

His wife, a registered nurse, rushed him to Spectrum Health Blodgett Campus, where doctors found a serious bone infection and amputated the rest of the toe.

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

Douthett joked with a nurse before the amputation that he would like to 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," Douthett said.

Dog Saves Michigan Man's Life by Chewing Off His Toe - Health News | Current Health News | Medical News - FOXNews.com
 
looks like the term pedicure now has a new way of spelling.... PETICURE
 
hmm I do not recommend this to the people wanting a quick pedi :) lol kind of a gross story but glad that the dog found it..weird he started just chewin away at his toe though..If it was that smelly...i woulda barked my way outta bed and down the hall lol
 
He must have been so wasted not to feel the pain while his toe was getting chewed off! Holy smokes!!!
 
For sure that or it could have been circulation due to the diabetes...the smell emitting from his foot was prolly his own foot starting to rot away due to poor circulation to his feet which is why he barely felt it (that and the combo of the alcohol) and because his nerves were shot and dying or some already dead in that toe he just slept right through it...animals are so smart....i just figured out why my dog was crying SO much to get out..he was too hot and decided he'd be better to plop himself on the hardwood floor because it's colder :)
 
that totally EWW!!

im sure this dog need chew toys not human toes!!
 
What I don't understand is HIS WIFE IS A NURSE!! Didn't she realize the smell coming from her husband's foot was BAD?! I can understand getting desensitized to smells, but that is absolutely ridiculous!
My ex-Uncle-in-law has congestive heart failure and type 2 diabetes. He was also a major hoarder. His entire house was filled with junk. He would sleep sitting in a chair in front of the TV at night. He ended up with gangrene of the lower leg and foot on both of his legs, cause he couldn't lay down on a bed and raise his feet above his heart to drain off the fluid.
I can honestly say that that smell I can never forget. It was noxious and it would linger. I am very glad I have a strong stomach.
 
That makes sense to me that some diabetics people were telling me that they couldnt feel anything in their feet. that is so scary.
 
He must have been so wasted not to feel the pain while his toe was getting chewed off! Holy smokes!!!

With him being an undiagnosed Type 2 diabetic, he probably had difficulty 'feeling' things with his feet (circulation problems, feet constantly going numb w/o reason) plus when your passed out drunk, you don't know a damn thing that's going on. (Women passing out drunk at parties is how a lot of date-rapes happen sadly).

Kudos to the doggie for chewing on this problem.
 
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