Woman loses 4 limbs, suffers 6 cardiac arrests after pet dog licks wound: 'Can happen to anybody'

The woman's husband said he struggled to comprehend the speed of her decline: 'One minute she’s playing with the dog, Monday night she’s in a coma.' (AI-generated image)

A 56-year-old UK woman lost all four limbs and suffered six cardiac arrests after developing severe sepsis triggered by her pet dog licking a small cut on her skin, the BBC reported.

The woman, identified as Manjit Sangha, fell critically ill within 24 hours of returning home from work in July 2025. Her husband recounted finding her unconscious, with ice‑cold hands and feet, purple lips, and severe breathing difficulty. She was rushed to New Cross Hospital in Wolverhampton, where doctors determined she had developed sepsis, likely after bacteria entered her bloodstream when her dog licked a minor cut or scratch.

Sepsis is a serious medical condition that occurs when the body's immune system starts to attack the body's own tissues and organs instead of fighting against disease and infection.

Sangha's condition deteriorated with dramatic speed. Doctors told the BBC they believed the infection progressed so aggressively that her organs went into shock, triggering a cascade of complications.

Patien'ts heart stopped six times

During her time in intensive care, Sangha's heart stopped six times as medical teams attempted to stabilise her. Surgeons later amputated both legs below the knee and both hands to prevent the infection from spreading. She also lost her spleen, developed pneumonia and gallstones, and remained hospitalised for 32 weeks before being discharged.

How could this happen in 24 hours?: Husband 

Her husband told the publication he struggled to comprehend the speed of her decline: “One minute she’s playing with the dog, Monday night she’s in a coma.”

The woman has since urged others to take sepsis seriously, saying cases like hers “could happen to anybody” and warning that even minor wounds should not be ignored.

"It's difficult to explain the experience," Sangha said. "Losing your limbs and your hands in a short time period is a very big thing. It's very serious and not to be taken lightly."

Another woman died of septic shock after dog licked wound

In a similar incident, last July, a retired woman from England's Norfolk died after contracting a bacterial infection from a dog’s lick on an open wound, a coroner’s court heard this week. June Baxter, 83, died due to septic shock triggered by Pasteurella multocida — a bacterium commonly found in the mouths of domestic dogs.

According to reports, Baxter had injured her leg while using a commode in her home. Later that day, her granddaughter arrived, accompanied by her dog, and it is believed to have licked the wound on Baxter’s leg, causing the infection.