The incident was reported just after 6:25 p.m. at a home along N. Peavine Road, about three miles northwest of Clinton, according to the Sampson County Sheriff's Office.
When deputies arrived at the home, they discovered a 38-year-old woman who was dead, Sampson County Sheriff's Office Capt. Marcus Smith said in a brief news release.
"Evidence suggests the victim was viciously attacked by a dog whom the victim had been providing care to for several weeks," Smith said.
Sampson County Sheriff's Office detectives and animal control officers soon arrived.
"The dog was located and euthanized on scene by deputies," Smith said.
Animal control officers will take the dog to Raleigh for rabies testing, the news release said.
Smith said he did not know the dog's breed.
"There is no threat to the public," he said.
Smith added that the official cause of death is pending a medical examiner's investigation.
No other information was released.
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