David Money, a former soldier, had to be admitted in a coma for six weeks while doctors fought the bacterial infection that caused his skin to form blisters.
He was in hospital for five months but suffered double kidney failure and now needs dialysis every other day, the Daily Mirror reported.
The former paratrooper's brush with death was caused by capnocytophaga, a bacteria found in dog's mouths and saliva.
The dog lover - who has seven pet whippets - regularly attends racing events and experts think he caught it from one licking a small scratch on his skin.
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"I'm disabled. I can barely walk, I've lost my job and I nearly died. My life has been completely turned upside down and to think it is from a bacteria from a dog - maybe one of my dogs - is mind blowing thing," Money said.
"The pain I went through was indescribable. To actually sweat with pain is absolutely horrendous. We are far more aware of the dogs now but I would never get rid of my dogs. I can't believe what has happened to me, but I cherish them," he added.
He was taken to hospital when he started to feel a piercing and burning sensation on his skin, and dark marks appeared on his face.
Medics diagnosed an infection and his condition rapidly deteriorated, until he was screaming out in pain and his skin started to "bubble" as the infection spread.
Huge blisters formed all over his body - including his hands which saw his fingers tripled in size and put in plastic bags to control infection.
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