A Wisconsin woman has died after a nip from her new puppy — and it may be due to the same rare blood infection from dog’s saliva that forced a man to have all of his limbs amputated, according to a report.
Sharon Larson, 58, of Milwaukee, fell ill after she was bitten by Bo in June, according to the local NBC affiliate WTMJ.
She developed flu-like symptoms and was rushed to a hospital, where she tested positive for the Capnocytophaga canimorsus bacteria, which is found in dog and cat saliva, according to the station. She died two days later.
“I feel like I got robbed. I lost… my best friend,” said her heartbroken husband, Dan Larson, told WTMJ.
Her death comes after Greg Manteufel, 48, of West Bend, Wisconsin, was licked by his pooch in June and later found out his body was being ravaged by the same bacteria. The next week, his blood pressure dramatically plunged — and doctors were forced to cut off his legs and forearms to increase circulation, according to a report.
It’s extremely rare for people who come in contact with the bacteria to develop the disease, according to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Adults over the age of 40 are more at risk along with people who suffer from alcoholism and weak immune systems, according to the agency.
“I was told she could get struck by lightning four times and live, win the lottery twice — that’s how rare this is supposed to be,” Dan Larson said.