Man dies days after being bitten on hand by family’s dog

A number of babies have been killed in a recent spate of attacks but a new study shows our best friends’ bacteria can be just as deadly.

A man has died days after being bitten by his own dog, succumbing to a bacterial infection contracted from the family’s pet.

The 62-year-old was taken to an emergency department suffering chest pains and complaining of a fever, according to the New England Journal of Medicine.

Doctor’s initially believed the man was suffering from a heart-related issue due to a personal history of coronary disease combined with the fact he had had his spleen removed following a car accident earlier in his life.

But three bite marks on the man’s arm led medical staff to take blood tests which revealed the presence of capnocytophaga canimorsus, bacteria found in the mouths of cats and dogs.

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The bite left a deadly bacteria in the man’s bloodstream. Picture: New England Journal of Medicine

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The bacteria can be passed on to humans through a bite or close contact, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Humans who have their spleen removed are particularly vulnerable to infection, and the man died two days after presenting to hospital.

The New England Journal of Medicine did not reveal where the man was from or where he was hospitalised.

I also didn’t reveal what the breed of dog was.