Sepsis Dog Lick: Penn Woman Survives 32 Weeks in Hospital and Quadruple Amputation After Alleged Dog Lick Triggers Sepsis
Manjit Sangha, a 56-year-old sepsis survivor, has returned home after 32 weeks in hospital following an illness doctors believe may have begun with a sepsis dog lick on a small cut or scratch; the episode included several cardiac arrests and ultimately a quadruple amputation, underscoring how quickly sepsis can escalate.
Sepsis Dog Lick: What doctors believe
Medical teams believe the chain of events began when a dog licked a small cut or scratch on Manjit Sangha. Doctors think that may have allowed an infection to take hold and progress to sepsis. The condition spread rapidly, prompting multiple interventions and emergency surgery. The specific infection pathway remains described as a lick on a small cut or scratch in the provided context.
Timeline of illness and hospital course
Manjit returned home on a Sunday afternoon in July last year feeling unwell. By the following morning she was unconscious. The sequence noted in the context moves from a Saturday when she was playing with the dog, to a Sunday when she went to work, and by Monday night she was in a coma. While in intensive care at New Cross Hospital in Wolverhampton, her heart stopped six times. Overall she spent 32 weeks in hospital and experienced several cardiac arrests during that period.
Surgeries, amputations and complications
Surgeons at Russells Hall Hospital in Dudley carried out amputations of both legs below the knee and both hands because the condition had spread to those limbs. In addition to the quadruple amputation, Manjit lost her spleen, battled pneumonia and developed gallstones that she was told might require further surgery. The extent of surgical and medical intervention reflects the rapid and severe progression of her illness.
Return home, family response and personal impact
She left Ward 9 at Moseley Hall in Birmingham on a Wednesday and was greeted by a hero's welcome from her family in Penn on the Wolverhampton/Staffordshire border. Her husband, Kam Sangha, described the bewildering speed of events and the family's shock at how quickly her health deteriorated. Prior to falling ill, Manjit worked seven days a week. As she begins recovery and rebuilding, she has sought to warn others of the danger, believing "it could happen to anybody. " She also reflected that losing limbs and hands in a short time was a profoundly life-changing experience.
What sepsis is and symptoms to watch for
Sepsis is described in the context as a rare but serious medical condition that occurs when the body's immune system starts to attack the body's own tissues and organs. The NHS says sepsis is life-threatening and can be hard to spot. The UK Sepsis Trust is cited in the context as estimating about 50, 000 sepsis-related deaths in the UK each year.
- Common adult symptoms noted in the context include slurred speech, extreme shivering or muscle pain, severe breathlessness and skin that is mottled or discoloured.
Doctors emphasize vigilance for rapid changes in condition after even minor injuries or skin breaks. In this account, a simple interaction with a family pet preceded a cascade of events that led to prolonged hospitalization and major surgery. The case highlights the unpredictability of sepsis and why early recognition of symptoms is critical.
Recent updates indicate these are the known facts about Manjit Sangha's illness and recovery; details may evolve as her recovery continues.
