Indiana Pit Bull - A 40-year-old man has been mauled to death by one of his pit bull dogs on Christmas Day in his home in Portage, northern Indiana.

Edward L. Cahill (who is also known as Eddie) was found dead by his girlfriend on Thursday after she returned home from a trip to visit her relatives. Police arrived at the Porter County home at around 8:14 p.m. and pronounced Eddie dead.

Porter County Coroner Chuck Harris has revealed that Cahill suffered several dog bites to his arm and face, which resulted in massive blood loss and ultimately his death.

According to WGNTV, Cahill and his girlfriend Blanca Rodriguez lived with two pit bull dogs named Fat Boy and Keylo for about 8 years since they were little puppies. It is unclear what may have precipitated the violent confrontation between the dog and its owner. On the day when Fat Boy attacked Cahill, reports indicate that both dogs had been given food.

Rodriguez reportedly found blood on the mouth of Fat Boy when she arrived home. Police say the dog was acting violently towards officers who responded to the distress call from the home. Officers had to use a stun gun to get him under control. He was later taken to an animal shelter and euthanized upon the request of its owners.

It is unclear what state the other dog - Keylo - is in. Cahill's family has revealed that Fat Boy was always violent. He had reportedly bitten Rodriguez's son in the past.

Rodriguez has described the death of Cahill as a freak accident. She said the dogs were 'playful' and kept the family company. "One slept with the girls and the other slept with me and my husband," she said. "I don't want people to think bad of pit bulls."

Pit Bulls, which are popular in dog fighting rings, are known to be particularly violent. Statistics show that pit bulls and rottweilers are the two dogs most commonly fingered in human attacks. According to Dog Bite statistics, pit bulls have killed about 176 Americans between 2005 and 2013.