A HAMPSHIRE man died after his dog accidentally ‘bit’ him whilst playing, an inquest heard.

Ken McCall died after a wound to his right wrist became septic and he passed away in hospital several days later, Winchester Coroner’s court was told.

The 84-year-old retired carpenter had been playing with his 16 month old female Springer Spaniel on November 12 last year when the incident happened.

Giving evidence at the hearing Mr McCall’s widow Christina McCall, said: “He was playing tug of war with her like he normally did and the rope that he had was quite short, he was holding it and I said something to him. In a moment of inattention her head went in and cut the back of his hand with her tooth.”

“He said ‘oh dear’.”

Immediately afterwards Mrs McCall explained how she treated the wound, however the inquest heard how he became unwell the following day.

Although the injury was formally recorded as a ‘bite’ the family disputed that and insisted the wound was a result of a scratch accidentally caused by the dog’s tooth.

The hearing heard how Mrs McCall took him to the out of hours service two days later on November 14, where doctors said he had symptoms of a urinary tract infection and he was prescribed antibiotics, she added they said the wound on his right wrist appeared to be “healing nicely”.

The inquest heard his symptoms became more severe and he was admitted to Royal Hampshire County Hospital in Winchester on November 15, where he died three days later.

Mrs McCall described the dog, which she still owns, as friendly, she added: “She is very lively and excitable but a very gentle dog and very good, she did as she was told.”

“She had a good relationship with Ken she was brought for him and she liked to play.”

The hearing heard how Mr McCall, a retired carpenter of Ashley Close, Winchester, was a fit man. In 2005 the Daily Echo reported how he climbed to Everest base camp at the age of 75, to raise money for Hearing Dogs for the Deaf charity.

Pathologist Dr Balvinder Shoker described the wound as a 2cm long cut which was not deep.

Dr Shoker, said: “The dog’s saliva went into the bloodstream and the bacteria that was found in the blood would have started damaging the various organs.”

He noted that it was unusual for this to happen, but a factor may have been age which may have led Mr McCall to be more susceptible to infection. He gave the cause of death as multi-organ failure as a result of septicaemia which was caused by the bite. Senior Coroner Grahame Short recorded an accidental death.

Mr Short, said: “On the evening of the 12th of November he was at home with his dog and he was holding one end of the a rope and the dog was holding the other end.

"Sometimes these things happen and as he moved the dog caught the back of his hand with her teeth, and I fully accept that it was not a deliberate bite, but a bite is a wound caused by the teeth of an animal or a person.

"Most people who are bitten by their pet have no consequences, and it seems strange as a fit person that he deteriorated as rapidly as he did once the infection took hold.”

“I find that this was an accidental death. It was based on a very minor incident and that is what ultimately led to the death.”

“It was a very sad end for someone who was playing with their dog and one can never foresee this happening.”