My Puppy Chewed My Big Toe to the Bone While I Slept – But It Ended Up Saving My Life

In an unexpected turn of events, a retired builder from Cambridge, David Lindsay, 64, woke up to a horrifying discovery that would ultimately save his life. As he peacefully slept on the sofa, his wife’s sudden yell jolted him awake, only to find his right big toe drenched in blood. The culprit? His mischievous seven-month-old bulldog puppy named Harley, who had chewed his toe down to the bone.

The bone in David’s toe had been fractured during the canine’s vigorous chewing session, and to make matters worse, his toe nail was hanging off. However, what initially seemed like a disastrous incident turned out to be a fortuitous twist of fate. Medical professionals soon revealed that David had lost sensation in his feet due to two blocked arteries in his legs, a condition he was previously unaware of.

Despite the pain and injury caused by Harley’s dental exploration, David, a proud father to five daughters and grandfather to 11 children, harbors no ill will towards his four-legged companion. In fact, he credits the dog for inadvertently saving his life. David, who has diabetes, expressed, “I was asleep on the couch when my wife walked in and shouted, ‘Dave, the puppy’s chewing your toe!’ My puppy had near enough chewed my big toe off! It chewed down to the bone and cracked it. But because of all this, I discovered that my foot is completely numb, I can’t feel anything.”

Acting swiftly, David’s wife promptly wrapped his injured toe and rushed him to Addenbrooke’s Hospital, where he has been receiving medical attention for the past nine days. Intravenous antibiotics were administered to prevent the dog bite infection from spreading to the bone. During this time, further investigations into his fractured toe led to an astonishing discovery—two blocked arteries that could have jeopardized his entire leg, potentially leading to amputation if blood flow wasn’t restored.

Thanks to Harley’s relentless chewing, the critical condition of David’s leg was detected in time. As a result, he is now undergoing evaluations for stents that can be inserted to open up the blocked arteries and restore proper blood flow. Reflecting on the unusual circumstances, David, who had never owned a bulldog before, humorously remarked, “You’ve got to laugh about it. He’s done me a favor by chewing my toe. So, I’m waiting to find out if they can put stents in. I’ll be keeping the dog. 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!”

David eagerly anticipates returning home to his wife and his cheeky bulldog companion by the end of the week. Despite the pain and inconvenience caused by the incident, he remains grateful for Harley’s unintentional intervention, which led to the discovery of his arterial blockages. This extraordinary tale serves as a reminder that sometimes life’s most peculiar circumstances can unexpectedly lead to life-saving revelations.

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