Man Who Lost Limbs After He Was Licked by Dog Says He's Happy to Be Alive

The 48-year-old father who lost his legs and hands from getting licked by a dog is bracing for more operations. 

In addition, Greg Manteufel of Wisconsin told Inside Edition his nose is about to fall off.

“They told me my nose is mummified too, it is almost like a frostbite,” he said. 

Manteufel's life changed forever when he went to a neighborhood party at a park near his home. 

At the party, he says there were about five dogs swimming in a pond, and he pet them all. 

His doctors believe he contracted bacteria from one of the dogs after it licked him.
 
“I ended up not washing my hands and rubbing my eye or my face and my mouth, somehow,” he recalled. 

His own dog, Ellie, has been ruled out as the source of the infection because she wasn’t at the party and according to his family, she doesn’t lick.

Beverly Hills veterinarian Dr. Jeffrey Werber says the bacteria that infected Manteufel is called capnocytophaga canimorsus. It's found in 75 percent of dogs but spreading it to humans is practically unheard of.

“This happened to be a case of a very unusual outcome, very rare,” he told Inside Edition. “I think that the CDC reported something like 12 cases last year."

One day after the party, Manteufel started exhibiting signs of a sepsis. His son said his father would speak and it would sound like gibberish. 

Dr. Werber says that despite Manteufel's situation, it's OK to allow a dog to lick you.

“In my opinion, you can have your dog lick you and yes, you will be fine,” he said. 

Manteufel is remarkably upbeat about what happened, saying, "I am just happy to be alive."

His wife and son say he's actually helping them through the ordeal.

The doctor who's treating Manteufel says 99 percent of dog owners will never have to deal with this problem but there 'is' a chance of infection from dog saliva.

RELATED STORIES