The bacteria can also cause serious complications such as sepsis, heart attack, kidney failure, severe blood clots and gangrene.

Doctors believe the bacteria had entered Marie’s system after her dog licked the open wound on her hand.

When Marie woke days later in a hospital bed, she would discover that both of her legs and arms had been amputated. The bacteria had caused several blood clots to form in her limbs – which subsequently saw her arms and legs turn necrotic.

“It was just rapidly progressing where her hands and feet were turning black,” Dr. Ajay Seth, told Fox News.

It was initially advised that Marie would need all four of her limbs amputated at the torso. However, Dr Seth was determined to save as much as possible in order to allow her the use of prosthetics.

Marie would ultimately have both of her legs amputated above the knees but Dr Seth was able to save a good deal of her arms – and she has since been on a five year recovery journey.

“It’s been challenging,” she said.

“Learning how to walk was the hardest thing, but I’m good, I’m doing good.”

Marie has since been fitted with state of the art myoelectric prosthetics, allowing her to enjoy activities such as gardening and drawing once again.

“When I see her walk it’s like, ‘Oh my God this is amazing,'” said Matt said of his wife’s recovery, “We see the light at the end of the tunnel, we just adjust what we have to do, it just takes more planning when we want to do something.”

“To see the progress she’s made in five years it’s like miraculous, it’s unbelievable how far she’s come,” Dr Seth added.