Can a Black Widow Spider Bite Kill Your Dog?
Black widow spiders are known to be dangerous to humans because of their poisonous venom, but how about your pet? It is important for pet owners to be aware of the fact that these arachnids can also cause serious harm or even death to a dog. Unfortunately, black widows can be found throughout the Sacramento area, so you need to be aware of how to identify them in order to protect your four-legged companion. Additionally, it is imperative to understand the basic symptoms that your dog is likely to exhibit if they do end up being bitten.
How Do I Know if My Dog Has Been Bitten by a Black Widow Spider?
The symptoms of a black widow spider bite are not always the same for every dog, so there are many things you will need to keep an eye on. There is typically minimal to no swelling until at least one hour passes, and your dog will begin to experience extreme pain around this time. In some cases, dogs respond by being more active than usual for up to 20 hours after they have been bitten, and this will lead to paralysis if they do not receive immediate medical attention. Other symptoms include seizures, weakened limbs, abdominal muscle rigidity, shallow and rapid breathing, increased heart rate, restlessness, numbness in the area around the bite site and muscle pain.
Common Signs To Watch For:
- Paralysis
- Cramping
- Severe muscle pain
- Vomiting
- Drooling
- Diarrhea
- Tremors
- Swollen face or muzzle
- Redness and swelling
Sadly, these bites often go unnoticed by the animal and their owner for at least an hour. Time is of the essence. Therefore, it is important for you to take your pet to the veterinarian at the first sign of trouble in order to ensure that your pet does not pass away from the bite of this poisonous spider.
Facts About Black Widow Spiders
Black widows can technically be found anywhere, but the highest risk is outdoors near buildings, sheds, garages and cluttered areas. The adult female of this species is what you need to be primarily concerned with. Fortunately, they are easy to recognize because their underside is marked with a red hourglass shape and they have a bulbous abdomen that is dark black.
You can help protect your dog from ever having to deal with this highly painful and dangerous situation by keeping them away from your garage, shed, and basement, especially when you will not be able to keep a close eye on them.
Make sure that you are vigilant about removing spider webs on a regular basis, and work at keeping your home clutter free to provide a less welcoming environment for the black widow spider. If you see black widow spiders on your property, contact Barrier Pest Solutions at (916) 931-3027 to schedule an extermination of this unwanted pest.