Overview

• The coroner ruled that 83-year-old June Baxter died of septic shock caused by left-leg cellulitis after her granddaughter’s dog licked her wound.
• Inquest pathology tests identified pasteurella multocida—a bacterium common in domestic animal mouths—as the infecting agent.
• Data from England and Wales show about 600 lab-confirmed pasteurellosis cases annually, with most infections responding well to antibiotics.
• Medical experts warn that elderly and immunocompromised individuals face higher risk of severe complications such as bacteremia, meningitis or fatal septic shock.
• Pet owners are advised to clean wounds promptly, practice hand hygiene and prevent dogs from licking open cuts to minimise infection risks.