Black widow and recluse spiders a threat to cats
By Dr. Tim Dietrick
Source: Richmond Times-Dispatch
Q. What are the signs of black widow and brown recluse spider bites? Are they a problem for pets?
A. Fortunately, black and red widow and brown recluse spider bites make up a very small percentage of small-animal emergencies.
Cats are extremely sensitive to the venom of the black and red widow spiders and can die from a bite. The venom is primarily a neurotoxin and is more powerful
in fall than in spring.
Symptoms depend on the amount of venom injected and can include salivation, muscle pain and spasms, a rigid, nonpainful abdomen, seizures and respiratory
distress. In severe cases, paralysis or death can occur.
Without a witness, accurate diagnosis of black and red widow spider bites is difficult, so treatment is based on symptoms and clinical signs.
Minor bites are treated with painkilling drugs. More severe cases may require intravenous fluids, calcium, muscle relaxants and antivenin.
It may take several days to determine a prognosis, and recovery can take months.
Venom from the brown recluse spider destroys tissue around the bite wound. Toxic effects on red blood cells and renal failure are possible but rare.
The most common sign of a brown recluse bite is a bull's-eye lesion with a black center surrounded by a white ring on a red background. This lesion generally
appears 12 hours after the bite occurs but is often not noticed because of an animal's fur. Eventually, owners may notice a blackened area of skin.
At this stage, the wound is several days old and may be confused with an abscess, snakebite or other problem.
Skin that is black is dead and must be removed as part of the treatment of a brown recluse bite. Several surgeries may be required to get all the affected
tissue.
Antibiotics and pain medications are also part of the therapy.
Prevention of spider bites is difficult but primarily involves keeping the spider population to a minimum. Poisonous spiders prefer dark, out-of-the-way
places such as wood piles, sheds and crawlspaces, so keeping pets away from these areas is wise.
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