Wyoming Dog Dies From Flesh-Eating Bacteria

By Kelli Bender Sep 28th 2012

A beloved Great Dane in Gillette, Wyo. has lost his battle with a flesh-eating bacteria. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, 6-year-old Great Dane Nikita contracted Strep A. through the bloodstream, which can cause the flesh-eating infection known as necrotizing fasciitis to form.


The condition has sent three humans to a hospital in the area, but Nikita's veterinarian, Dr. Darren Lynde, says the cases are unrelated. The doctor is uncertain how the dog developed the infection, especially since it is almost never seen in animals.

"I've done this for 20 years, and never seen this particular situation and probably never will again," said Lynde to the Gillette (Wyo.) News-Record. "Most cats and dogs just clear the infection on their own."

Currently, the vet believes that Nikita may have had the bacteria on her body, and that it was allowed to enter her bloodstream through a cat bite. The injury occurred earlier in September, and Nikita's owner, Christine Williams, said that by the next day, the dog could barely walk.

Williams took Nikita to an emergency animal hospital for treatment, but ultimately doctors were unable to save the dog's life. The state epidemiologist has looked at Nikita's case and those of the three humans currently being treated and did not find a solid connection or proof that this bacteria is a public health threat.

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