Woman's Face Mauled by Rescue Dog During Seizure, Realised Severity on FaceTime
Karma Davis, a 25-year-old woman from Peoria, Illinois, experienced a terrifying ordeal when her rescue pitbull mauled her face during a seizure, leaving her with life-altering injuries. The attack occurred on March 2, but she only grasped the full extent of the damage after video-calling her fiancé, Trenton, upon regaining consciousness.
Horrific Injuries and Immediate Aftermath
During the seizure, which was likely triggered by forgetting her medication, Karma collapsed unconscious on her kitchen floor. Her dog, Fayzo, whom she had rescued from an abusive home four years earlier, attacked her face violently. "I woke up and tried to find my phone because I knew I’d had a seizure," Karma revealed. "I didn’t know what happened to my face as I was still out of it from the seizure."
She found her iPad and messaged Trenton, who was at work servicing cars an hour away. "It was during that video chat we both realised the extent of what had happened," she said. "I started freaking out. I kept saying, 'Fayzo ate my face. I look like a skeleton. My lips are gone'."
The injuries were severe and extensive:
- Both lips were completely gone
- A large portion of her left cheek was missing
- The bottom of her nose was torn off
- Her left ear was severely disfigured
- Her right ear was partially torn off but later reattached
- An artery in her neck was nicked, causing significant blood loss
Emergency Medical Response and Ongoing Treatment
Trenton immediately called an ambulance, and Karma was rushed to hospital. Surgeons performed emergency procedures to stop the bleeding before placing her in a medically induced coma for two-and-a-half days. She remained hospitalized for approximately ten days and has since undergone multiple surgeries, including reconstructive procedures and a skin graft taken from her thigh to cover exposed areas of her face.
Karma now requires ongoing medical care, including regular visits to a plastic surgeon and support from home health nurses. She must be fed through a tube as she cannot eat normally and fears she may never regain this ability. Doctors are considering further options, such as additional grafts to reconstruct her lips or a full lower-face transplant, which would necessitate lifelong anti-rejection medication.
Unexpected Aggression and Philosophical Outlook
The attack was described as "very out of character" for Fayzo, who had never shown signs of aggression before. "He’d never shown any signs of aggression," Karma noted. "Fayzo even loved playing gently with baby ducklings." Following the incident, animal control specialists removed the dog, and he was later euthanised.
Despite the traumatic event and her massive injuries, Karma maintains a philosophical perspective. "Ever since I woke up from the coma, I've been making jokes," she says. "I tell everyone I’m glad to be alive and making the most out of what I still can do versus the stuff I’m not able to do any more."
She counts her blessings, noting she can still see out of both eyes, hear from one ear, smell, walk, and talk, albeit with some difficulty. Most of her facial pain is managed with medication, though the skin graft site on her thigh causes significant discomfort. "I wouldn’t wish that pain on anybody," she admitted.
Reflecting on Fayzo, Karma expressed mixed emotions: "I miss him but I definitely wouldn’t want him back. Seeing pictures of him in my camera roll is actually a little traumatic still." Her story highlights the unpredictable nature of medical emergencies and pet behavior, underscoring the importance of medication adherence and pet safety measures.
