A bulldog puppy chewed its owner’s toe to the bone while he slept, ultimately saving his life in a surprising way.
Recently, a retired builder from Cambridge found out that his playful puppy may have saved his life, albeit in a rather painful way.
David Lindsay, 64, had a shocking experience one night when he woke up to find his seven-month-old bulldog, Harley, gnawing on his big toe.
This unusual incident ended up leading to a critical medical discovery.
Bulldog pup chews owner’s toe while he was asleep
David was taking a nap on the sofa when he was jolted awake by a loud shout from his wife.
She exclaimed, “Dave, the puppy’s chewing your toe!”
Confused and startled, David looked down and was horrified to see blood covering his foot.
His puppy had chewed down to the bone, causing a severe injury that left his toenail hanging off.
Despite the alarming situation, this incident turned out to be a blessing in disguise.
The bite from the puppy ultimately saved his life significantly
After the injury, David’s wife quickly wrapped up his toe and rushed him to Addenbrooke’s Hospital.
There, doctors treated his wound with intravenous antibiotics to prevent an infection from spreading.
But as they examined his injury, they made a shocking discovery that would change everything.
During the scans, the medical team found that David had lost feeling in his feet due to two blocked arteries in his legs.
This condition could have led to serious complications, including the risk of amputation.
David, who has diabetes, had no idea that anything was wrong with his health until this incident with Harley.
David shared his thoughts about the bizarre situation, saying, “I have to laugh about it.”
“The puppy did me a favor by chewing my toe,” he added.
He realized that without the injury, he might not have discovered the blocked arteries, which could have put his leg in danger.
Thanks to Harley’s playful nibbling, doctors are now considering placing stents in his arteries to restore proper blood flow.
The retired builder is a father to five daughters and a grandfather to eleven grandchildren.
The owner expressed gratitude for his bulldog pup after life-saving incident
Despite the pain and shock of the incident, David has no intention of getting rid of his naughty pup.
In fact, he feels grateful to Harley for bringing this serious health issue to light.
During his hospital stay, which lasted nine days, David kept a positive attitude.
He looked forward to going home to his family and his cheeky bulldog.
He even joked with the doctors about the possibility of losing his toe, saying he’d like to take it home if it came to that.
“I’ll try to keep my toe too, but if not, I told the doctor to cut it off and I can take it home for him!” he said with a smile.
As for Harley, he remains a beloved member of the family.
David hopes to be back home soon, where he can enjoy time with his wife and his playful pup.
The bond between David and Harley has only grown stronger after this incident.
It shows that sometimes our pets can lead us to important revelations about our health, even in unconventional ways.