#Spider bits on dogs skin

Depending on the amount of venom injected, dogs may need this kind of therapy for a few days to several weeks! Vets will also treat spider bites with the same therapies used for allergic reactions, and pain medication will be necessary if the bite site is swollen or causing your pup discomfort. Intravenous fluids are provided for support, and muscle relaxer medications can be given to help with tremors and twitching. Specialty hospitals may have access to it. If your pup has acute swelling in one part of his body, and if he is lethargic or has a fever, your veterinarian might suspect that your dog has been bitten.Īn antivenin is available for black widow spider bites, but it is not a commonly carried product in most general practicing small animal hospitals. Spider bites are rarely witnessed, but it is very helpful if you can identify a spider near your dog when the bite has taken place. Unfortunately, envenomation is successful more than 80% of the time.

#Spider bits on dogs skin

Sometimes, this bite is considered “dry,” meaning that it did not break skin or no venom was injected. Black widows are not an aggressive spider species and prefer to hide away from other animals, but in situations where they are stressed, they may bite. They can also set up webs inside of garages, basements, and open buildings such as barns.īites can occur when dogs go for walks outside or if the spider becomes trapped or accidentally stepped on. They can be found in outdoor locations such as tree stumps, rodent holes, and piles of leaves. Younger spiders, however, may not develop this pattern until later in life.īlack widow spiders favor warm, temperate climates like those in the southern United States. They can be dark gray to black in color, and mature spiders have the classic red hourglass shape on their abdomens. Black widow spiders ( Latrodectus mactans ) are tiny insects that are only three to ten millimeters long.