A seemingly harmless event—a dog’s lick—has led to a tragic situation for 56-year-old Manjit Sangha from the UK. Medical professionals believe she might have contracted a nearly fatal infection from her pet, which ultimately resulted in a quadruple amputation.
The BBC covered this remarkable case recently. Last summer, Sangha faced a serious and rapidly developing case of sepsis that landed her in a coma. Though she lost all her limbs and her spleen, she managed to survive this harrowing experience and remains hopeful about her recovery.
“I want to get walking,” Sangha shared. “I want to get my prosthetics and return to work.”
A fateful lick
Her husband, Kam Sangha, noted that she began feeling unwell soon after returning home from work one Sunday in late July 2025. By Monday morning, her condition had worsened significantly; she was unresponsive and deprived of oxygen, leading to an emergency trip to the hospital where her heart reportedly stopped multiple times.
This event was an acute case of septic shock, which is a life-threatening decline in blood pressure caused by extensive inflammation in the body, commonly referred to as sepsis. The infection that triggered this might have come from something as innocuous as her dog licking a minor wound, according to her doctors.
Even after doctors stabilized her condition, Sangha faced numerous setbacks, such as pneumonia and gallstones. Although she escaped death and slowly started to improve, the illness necessitated the removal of her spleen and partial amputations of both arms and legs.
After spending 32 weeks in the hospital, Sangha was finally discharged and returned home last week.
“It’s difficult to put into words,” she said. “Losing your limbs so quickly is a huge change.”
Moving forward
While most infections don’t lead to sepsis, this condition is both prevalent and serious. According to the World Health Organization, around 50 million individuals around the globe develop sepsis each year, leading to approximately 11 million deaths annually, which accounts for about 20% of all yearly fatalities.
The costs associated with treating sepsis can be substantial, and so can the expenses for post-recovery care. Sangha anticipates needing tens of thousands of dollars for advanced prosthetics that will enable her to regain mobility and independence. In light of this, her friends and family have initiated a GoFundMe campaign, which has raised around £34,005 (approximately $45,000 USD) to help her rebuild her life.
Despite the difficulties she’s encountered, Sangha looks to the future with optimism.
“I’ve spent enough time sitting; I want to walk now,” she expressed.
