Dog saves owner's life by chewing off diseased toe [NSF... well, squeamish people]

[Zosi]

This is just too disgusting to not post. I couldn't make this shit up...

(CBS) A Michigan man says he has his dog to thank for saving his life by chewing off his infected big toe as he lay in a drunken stupor.
For months, Jerry Douthett had refused to see a doctor for the festering digit, in spite of his wife's pleas and her suspicion that he had out of control diabetes.

About two weeks ago the couple went to a bar, where Douthett told the Grand Rapids Press that he drank four or five beers.
"Jerry had had all these Margaritas, so I just let him sleep," his wife Rosee, a registered nurse, told the paper. "But then I heard these screams coming from the bedroom, and he was yelling, 'My toe's gone, my toe's gone!'"
Kiko, the family dog, had suddenly become a surgeon.

"It wasn't an aggressive attack. He pretty much just ate the infection, so he saved my life," Jerry Douthett said.
He was treated at Spectrum Health in Grand Rapids where physicians said he had type 2 diabetes and was suffering from a dangerous toe infection. Surgeons amputated what was left of the digit.
"Maybe he thought it was not part of Jerry's body," Rosie told the Grand Rapids television station WOOD-TV, "that it was a dead animal laying on the bed. But he chewed off the infected part so he knew when to stop, which was great."
Jerry Douthett says Kiko, a white terrier with brown ears, is a hero. Now that he knows he is diabetic, he has given up drinking.

Summary borrowed from CBS, longer article with a lot more detail here.

I think that it says a lot about both how incredibly stupid people can be and the state of health care in our country when living with a gangrenous toe seems like a better idea than visiting a doctor and seeing if it might be something... you know... serious? If the flesh on your appendages is dying, it's probably worth the ER visit BEFORE your dog decides to make a snack of it, because I cannot imagine a situation where that doesn't turn out to be some bad shit that needs urgent treatment.

[BerenTebogo]

I'm not sure this qualifies as an issue of horrible health care systems as much as it qualifies as an issue of horrible educational systems.

Although, this does imply a certain level of stupid that wouldn't be easily fixed with some "fancy book lernin'".

[Emirii]

Wow, I go to te soctor even if my toe nail were to change the slightest color lol I cant imagine having my toe almost FALL OFF before I got the doctor. It's pretty stupid.

[Zosi]

I'm not sure this qualifies as an issue of horrible health care systems as much as it qualifies as an issue of horrible educational systems.

Although, this does imply a certain level of stupid that wouldn't be easily fixed with some "fancy book lernin'".

It's both, really. Our system basically discourages anyone who's uninsured from going to the doctor unless they feel that their life is at risk, and people tend to be pretty shitty at evaluating the seriousness of medical problems themselves. This guy would probably still have a toe if he had been getting annual checkups, and that's minimal cost once a year. If preventative care is going to take off in the US, we need systemic changes in the health care and insurance industries to enable it as well as education so that people stop viewing doctors as enemies to be avoided whenever possible.

[BerenTebogo]

It's both, really. Our system basically discourages anyone who's uninsured from going to the doctor unless they feel that their life is at risk, and people tend to be pretty shitty at evaluating the seriousness of medical problems themselves. This guy would probably still have a toe if he had been getting annual checkups, and that's minimal cost once a year. If preventative care is going to take off in the US, we need systemic changes in the health care and insurance industries to enable it as well as education so that people stop viewing doctors as enemies to be avoided whenever possible.

My favorite part, honestly, is this:

Jerry Douthett had refused to see a doctor for the festering digit, in spite of his wife's pleas and her suspicion that he had out of control diabetes.

"Bitch, you only speak when I tell you to. If anyone 'round here is gonna be gettin' the diabeetus it'll be when I tell 'em they've got the diabeetus. Now, where's my fuckin' beer?!"

I find myself straining to find anything wrong with the outcome of this situation, really. I guess with the fact that he'll probably now be a larger pain in the ass than he was before. I mean, yeah, I agree with you on the health care issue and obviously I brought up the education issue, but somehow...I don't know...it all feels like semantics in this case.

[Lucavi]

What'd you think a wife is for, Sath? Listening to?

[Acturus]

Dude was a moron. Neither healthcare nor education as matters of public policy would change the fact that dude was a moron.

[SamanosukeShiva]

the dog died from eating the toe?

[Seanr]

did the dog spit or swallow?

[Zosi]

What'd you think a wife is for, Sath? Listening to?

Maybe the wife snuck in while he was passed out and covered the toe in peanut butter, knowing that Kiko couldn't resist a sugary treat and "OMG THE DOG ATE MY TOE" would 100% get him to the hospital. Conspiracy theories abound!

[Niiro]

It's a shame the dog was around to do that, he was well on his way to removing himself from the gene pool.

On that note, need to breed that dog.

Seriously, when I read the thread title I was expecting some interesting story about someone out hunting/camping with their dog and getting injured or something. Not some drunk moron with diabetes.

[Zosi]

the dog died from eating the toe?

Sounds like the dog is fine, although not due to any great concern on the part of its owner:

Even before surgery, he said he 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 said she replied, "That's the sickest thing I ever heard."

Edit: Sounds like they're quarantining to check for rabies, but that would be a pre-existing condition leading to toe-nibbling rather than a consequence of a one-time toe snack.

[Seanr]

Even before surgery, he said he 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?"

That confirms that he is a fucking retard...

[Velgadess]

Dog deserves a medal. Thanks to his actlons there will now be more beer for society.

[Vandole]

thanks to this dog natural selection failed to take course. :[

[zoobernut]

I am surprised that no one highlighted the part where the guys wife is a registered nurse!

To me that just compounds the whole stupidity of the situation.

[Seanr]

I am surprised that no one highlighted the part where the guys wife is a registered nurse!

To me that just compounds the whole stupidity of the situation.

For months, Jerry Douthett had refused to see a doctor for the festering digit, in spite of his wife's pleas and her suspicion that he had out of control diabetes.

She tried... fuck him basically...

[zoobernut]

See this story could have been about a wife who went in and lopped off his toe with sheers since he wouldn't listen and go to the doctor but the dog beat her to the toe.

[BerenTebogo]

See this story could have been about a wife who went in and lopped off his toe with sheers since he wouldn't listen and go to the doctor but the dog beat her to the toe.

How much time in jail do you wager that'd run her?

[zoobernut]

How much time in jail do you wager that'd run her?

Then we could have a really good debate. Whether or not she deserved jail time for cutting her husbands toe off to save his life.

At what point do you draw the line in what is appropriate to do in order to save someones life?

I mean she is a nurse so it would be slightly better than a random person cutting off his toe. Do you think he would view her as a hero like he views his dog or would he drop domestic violence charges on her?

And then if he did view her as a hero for cutting his toe off why didn't he just listen to her in the first damn place?