Unlikely Culprit: Man Hospitalized After Contracting Rare Bug From Pet Chihuahua’s Kisses

Unlikely Culprit: Man Hospitalized After Contracting Rare Bug From Pet Chihuahua’s Kisses

In a surprising turn of events, a 71-year-old man from the Canary Islands found himself hospitalized after contracting a rare bug from his beloved pet Chihuahua….READ MORE RLATED STORY Super Eagles’ Nwabali Finds Inspiration In Manuel Neuer’s Play – Ready For AFCON Quarter-Final Clash Against Angola

Doctors suspect that the culprit behind his unexpected illness was none other than his furry friend’s affectionate kisses.

The man, who chose to remain unidentified, spent three weeks in Hospital Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, La Gomera, where he was provided with an oxygen mask to aid his breathing. His condition worsened as he developed sepsis, a potentially life-threatening reaction to infection, highlighting the severity of the unusual case.

Prior to seeking medical assistance, the man endured days of persistent diarrhea and a high fever. Astonishingly, he delayed seeking help for a week, prompting concern among the medical staff. The patient, who already had underlying health issues, including type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and a lung disease, denied any scratches or bites from his Chihuahua.

A chest x-ray revealed a concerning ‘dense opacity’ on his right lung, leading doctors to diagnose him with pneumonia complicated by septic shock. Urgently, an oxygen mask and daily antibiotic injections were administered to regulate his breathing and combat the infection.

Follow-up blood tests uncovered that the man had contracted pasteurella multocida, a bacteria commonly found in a dog’s mouth. Although pneumonia is rarely associated with this bug, it usually arises from bites and scratches. Intriguingly, the man insisted that he had not experienced any physical harm from his pet.

Medical professionals issued a warning, cautioning against activities such as sharing a bed with a dog, kissing them, and letting them lick humans as potential ‘risk behaviors’ for contracting infections. The man eventually made a remarkable recovery six months after his discharge, marking the end of this extraordinary tale, documented in the journal Respiratory Medicine Case Reports.