If your pet starts to innocently explore outdoors--as in, put his nose where it may not belong--he may end up with a spider bite. The two main types of spiders to watch out for are: the black widow and brown recluse. Both of these spiders bite, and release venom when they do. Pets are commonly bit by the black widow (identified by their red hourglass-shaped marking) when they invade their nests. Although black widow bites are rarely fatal, smaller pets may have a more severe reaction, which can turn out to be fatal if not treated properly. Brown recluse spiders (recognized by the fiddle-shaped mark on their back) tend to hang out in dark, secluded areas and bite when they feel their space is invaded. Pets usually recover well from brown recluse bites, although a full recovery make take several weeks. Here are the steps for treating both of these types of spider bites.
Instructions
Treat a Black Widow Bite
1. Keep your pet as calm and quiet as possible to slow down the venom from spreading. If the bite was on a limb, make sure to keep the limb lower than your pet's heart level.
2. Give your pet 1 mg. of Benadryl per pound of body weight after checking with your pet's vet to make sure it's OK. This will help reduce swelling, inflammation and itching.
3. Apply a cold or ice pack to the area to reduce swelling. A bag of frozen vegetables will work also.
4. Schedule an appointment with your vet as soon as possible. If you notice any unusual redness or swelling, or your pet has difficulty breathing or moving (paralysis), get her to a vet or animal emergency clinic immediately.
Treat a Brown Recluse Bite
5. Most pets won't realize they were bitten by a brown recluse, but look for redness to appear after a while.
6. Clean the wound with hydrogen peroxide, chlorhexidine or povidone iodine.
7. If your pet develops a rash, fever, chills, vomiting, diarrhea or appears lethargic, seek veterinary attention immediately. If the wound becomes larger or there is constant drainage, it is also a good idea to seek veterinary care.
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