Massive pitbull viciously mauls woman on California street as blood drips off its face

A massive pit bull viciously mauled a woman in San Francisco’s Tenderloin neighborhood Tuesday morning and left her with life-threatening injuries.

The dog’s face was dripping with blood after the horrific attack around 9.20am on Larkin Street as the victim lay nearby.

Police arrived on the block between Eddy and Turk streets to find the victim severely bleeding and the dog standing right beside her covered in blood.

Video captured a bystander desperately trying to keep the dog away until an officer could step in with a pole to catch and pull the animal back, per CBS.

After officers finally secured the dog, medics rushed in and hurried the critically injured woman to the hospital, where she remains in life-threatening condition.

The dog collapsed at the scene and was declared dead.

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San Francisco Animal Care & Control has since taken possession of the dog’s remains as authorities investigate what may have triggered the violent attack, according to KTVU.

The animal died on Larkin Street shortly before animal control officers arrived, police confirmed.

Investigators are now looking into whether an underlying medical condition or exposure to a foreign substance could have contributed to the dog’s behavior and sudden death.

Dr. Thomas Jansen, an emergency veterinarian with MedVet, told Fox that certain neurological illnesses or toxins can cause dogs to behave in ways that are dramatically different from their usual temperament.

“Sometimes in the ER, we see dogs that have altered mentation’s because of either severe neurologic disease or some kind of a toxin that they got into,” Jansen said. “And indeed, they’re acting in a way that’s completely foreign to their normal behavior or temperament.”

Authorities have not determined whether either possibility played a role in Tuesday’s attack.

Jansen also expressed concern for the injured woman as she fights for her life.

“With everything else going on in the world, just seeing that, I immediately just felt a visceral [sadness] and hope she’s getting the care that’s needed and hope she makes a full recovery,” he said.