Dog eats Michigan man's big toe, saves his life

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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.

Another story of amazing animal sense.

I wonder if the dog knew that eating the toe would be beneficial for his master?

reply to post by tezzajw


Oh my gosh. Revolting and so cool at the same time. Well I guess waking up short a toe is better than waking up...well.... or not waking up.

I wonder if the dog knew that his owner had been drinking and so chose that time to do it? So that maybe his owner wouldn’t feel it as much? Or if it had just gotten to a point and the dog knew he had to do it then, regardless of whether his owner had been drinking?

lol... here is a link with some pics www.mlive.com

It says he probably didn’t wake up because of the nerve damage that was caused in his toe because of the diabetes, which I didn’t think of, but makes sense.

Ahh yes, and I wondered if eating the infected toe could harm the dog. It says they have him under house quarantine that will be lifted Thursday if there are no side effects, if I read it correctly.

[edit on 3-8-2010 by worlds_away]

Maybe i should reconsider why that dog tried to eat my face when I was a kid. God I could be so ignorant sometimes.

Lol on a serious note, thats awesome. You should make a dog thread on all the proof we have on dogs incredible senses. Some S&Fs for sure. Speaking of which, S&F for you.

how do they know that the infection of a toe doesnt smell appetizing to a dog?

disgusting i know.

how in the hell do you sleep through something like that? i dont care how drunk you are, that would hurt!!

I shouldn't have eaten that beef tonight!

My dog probably knew there was something wrong with it, thats why she wanted to eat it!

Though honestly dogs can do some amazing things.

Originally posted by tezzajw

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.

Another story of amazing animal sense.

I wonder if the dog knew that eating the toe would be beneficial for his master?

I heard this on the radio today after work.

The DJ said, "Wow, the story would have been different if it was the guy's wiener! Nothing good would have come from that."

rofl. I almost got into a car wreck.

lol lucky man. now if that was a rottweiler or a doberman, he'd be missing a leg.

How far gone do you have to be to not notice your toe is being chewed off?

Bartender, I'll have what he's having...

What if the dog was a little trouble-maker and wasn't trying to save the man's life but rather have a simple snack? Aren't those dogs known to chew everything? Also, as someone else said (that I starred, by the way), what if the dog was attracted by the rotten smell of the infection? Although, I do have to admit that believing the dog acted in good faith to save the man's life is a much more interesting story.

--airspoon

reply to post by silent thunder


He most likely had nerve damage in his toe from the diabetes. It is one of the risks a diabetic faces. They can hurt their toe, or have it chewed off and not realize it because they don’t feel it. The alcohol probably played a small part in it though.

But if he was just drunk and not a diabetic with an already damaged toe he probably would have woken up.

This is gonna sound gross, but when my dyshrotic eczema is really bad on my feet, my dog drives me nuts smelling and trying to lick my feet. I am usually barefoot, so when I sit in my recliner, I have to keep yelling at her to get away. At first, I thought it was the medicinal creme she was after, but she bugs me with or without the creme on.

So wouldn't the dogs sniffing and biting off said infected bodily parts contract the infection? Dogs may have the six senses but it doesn't make sense for the dog to get itself sick from someone who is sick.

The owner probably keeps his shoes on around that dog at all times now that he's developed a taste for toes.

that is one of the strangest things i've read in a while.

it still sucks that he lost a toe though but at least he's alive..