WEST BEND, WI — When Greg Manteufel fell ill last month, his family initially thought he had a bad flu. But then the sickness got worse. His body was covered in bruises and he had to be rushed to the emergency room. Somehow, the West Bend man had contracted Capnocytophaga canimorsus — a bacteria found in dog saliva. Within days he was fighting for his life. Doctors amputated his feet, then the lower part of both his legs.

Manteufel's infection was probably caused by something millions of people experience every day — a dog lick. It was probably his own pet, WITI-TV reported. Manteufel's wife, Dawn, told the station he had been in perfect health. Then, on June 27th, he started feeling sick.

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"It hit him with a vengeance. Just bruising all over him. Looked like somebody beat him up with a baseball bat," Dawn Manteufel told the station.

According to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the bacteria is commonly found in the mouths of humans, dogs and cats.

"These bacteria cause opportunistic infections, which means they have to have the right conditions to cause an infection, such as in a person with a weakened immune system," the agency said.

The agency noted it can particularly affect people with weak immune systems, such as heavy drinkers, those who have had their spleens removed, and those with HIV or cancer. The bacteria can be spread to people through a bite or after close contact with dogs or cats. As many as 74 percent of dogs have the bacteria in their mouths. That number is 57 percent for cats.

"Infections are more often linked to dog bites or dog contact," the agency said. Once infected, Greg Manteufel's body started to go into septic shock, according to a GoFundMe account created to raise money for his medical expenses. He was admitted to a hospital and doctors confirmed the dangerous bacteria had caused him to go into septic shock.

