[karajorma]

Apparently no one minds man-eating dogs if they are doctors too!

A dog who chewed off his owner's big toe when he passed out after a day of drinking has been hailed a lifesaver.

'Have-a-toe-hero' Kiko, a Jack Russell terrier, apparently sensed an infection in Jerry Douthett's right big toe. And he munched on it while his master was asleep at home in Rockford, Michigan. A trip to the hospital confirmed Douthett's digit needed amputation and alerted doctors to the fact that he had been suffering from undiagnosed Type 2 diabetes. Mr Douthett, 48, had been refusing to seek medical treatment for his infected toe for several weeks when the incident happened.

He said he had been working up the courage to see a doctor when he downed several alcoholic drinks during a night out and passed out on his bed. He woke up to find the dog beside him and a pool of blood near his foot.

"The toe was gone," said Mr Douthett. "He ate it. I mean, he must have eaten it, because we couldn't find it anywhere else in the house. I look down, there's blood all over, and my toe is gone."

Doctors later discovered that the infection had reached the bone and were forced to amputate what was left of the toe.

Before the surgery, Mr Douthett asked a nurse, "Is there any chance I can get whatever's left of my toe, so I can give it to Kiko as a treat?" "He's a hero. He pretty much just ate the infection. He saved my life," Mr Douthett told Wood TV, adding he has since sworn off alcohol.

Kiko is still with the family but under observation by authorities.

  

[iamzack]

ewwww

[Bobboau]

yeah, that's not behavior i would encourage.

[redsniper]

WTF FTW

[newman]

Speaking as a long time dog owner, eating parts of their masters while they're asleep is not something I'd classify as normal dog behavior. In fact, I've never heard of such a case before, so assuming the story is true and not the result of a bored journalist's imagination, I'd have to guess the dog really did sense that part of his master was "bad" and just chewed it off. Tho it's all a bit of a stretch. What I do know is that you generally don't need to worry about not having all body parts when you wake up if you got a dog in the house so if the story is true, that's either one weird dog or something compelled him to do it. Jack Russel terriers aren't really renown for eating humans

[Whitelight]

Dogs do have a keen sences. 

[FUBAR-BDHR]

I have heard of other cases in the past but they usually involve cancer.  The have even tried to train dogs to detect cancer the way they do drugs as they can smell the disease well before tests can see it.  Why this one is getting so much attention I don't know. 

[Rodo]

That's why you need to leave doggies and kitties sleep outdoors.

Even if that dog saved his life... what If he chewed something else? 

[Kosh]

You know this should be mentioned in the cats vs. dogs thread....... 

[StarSlayer]

That's why you need to leave doggies and kitties sleep outdoors.

Even if that dog saved his life... what If he chewed something else? 

Then don't get VD