Equine Dentist Shares Sepsis Story After Horse Bite

Maria was 46 and working as an experienced equine dentist when a routine day at work turned into a fight for her life.

After a small nip on the hand from a horse, something that had happened countless times before, Maria simply cleaned the wound and carried on. But within days, she began feeling seriously unwell. With flu-like symptoms, agonising back pain, and dark-coloured urine, Maria suspected she had flu or a kidney infection. Her worried niece insisted she see an out-of-hours GP. That decision may have saved her life.

What Maria didn’t realise was that bacteria had entered the bite wound and she had developed sepsis.

Her condition rapidly worsened. She had a high temperature, unbearable pain, and a sense that something was terribly wrong. It wasn’t just sepsis, Maria was also battling necrotising fasciitis, a rare but severe flesh-eating infection. The infection had even spread to her leg, and doctors warned that amputation was a possibility.

Maria spent 11 days on life support in intensive care. She was incredibly lucky to survive.
Now, three years on, Maria still lives with the long-term effects - chronic pain, short-term memory loss, and diabetes. But she’s bravely sharing her story to raise awareness of sepsis and the importance of acting quickly.

If you suspect sepsis, act fast. It’s a medical emergency.

Know the signs:
• Slurred speech or confusion
• Extreme shivering or muscle pain
• Passing no urine
• Severe breathlessness
• It feels like you’re going to die
• Skin mottled or discoloured

Today, Maria works for the very same out-of-hours GP service that helped save her life, using her experience to help others get the urgent care they need.