Tarantula Urticating hair on my cat :(

hwangster

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For those of you who don't know what Urticating Hair is.. it's a defensive mechanism Tarantula's use. It's hair on their abdomen that they kick off, and it causes an allergic reaction. I took my male Tarantula to breed this thursday, and on the way back, he escaped while I was trying to return him to his terranium. In the process he climbed to the ceiling, and while trying to retrieve him, he jumped! and when he landed, a big POOF of urticating hair appeared, and Pillow (my cat), my girlfriend and I got a very good dosage.

Me and my g/f are itching like crazy, and Pillow was acting weird so I took him to the Vet the next day.

He has no external signs to the allergic reaction, but has a fever of 39.5 degrees Celsius. Also, whenever he tries to eat or drink, he starts to shake his head really hard like he's trying to dry himself, but he's not wet.

He is then terrified of the food or water he's consuming and runs away. Now he won't eat or drink. I've tried giving him wet food, treats, and water but he is not having it.

The Vet gave him injections for the allergy, and some medication to follow up with. I've vacuumed by entire room with a Dyson Hepa Vacuum very thoroughly.

He peed on my bed twice, and is acting very strange, I am so worried


I will take him to the vet again tomorrow, but currently I feel like I've done something horrible, and I feel so helpless.
 

persi & alley

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Originally Posted by Hwangster

For those of you who don't know what Urticating Hair is.. it's a defensive mechanism Tarantula's use. It's hair on their abdomen that they kick off, and it causes an allergic reaction. I took my male Tarantula to breed this thursday, and on the way back, he escaped while I was trying to return him to his terranium. In the process he climbed to the ceiling, and while trying to retrieve him, he jumped! and when he landed, a big POOF of urticating hair appeared, and Pillow (my cat), my girlfriend and I got a very good dosage.

Me and my g/f are itching like crazy, and Pillow was acting weird so I took him to the Vet the next day.

He has no external signs to the allergic reaction, but has a fever of 39.5 degrees Celsius. Also, whenever he tries to eat or drink, he starts to shake his head really hard like he's trying to dry himself, but he's not wet.

He is then terrified of the food or water he's consuming and runs away. Now he won't eat or drink. I've tried giving him wet food, treats, and water but he is not having it.

The Vet gave him injections for the allergy, and some medication to follow up with. I've vacuumed by entire room with a Dyson Hepa Vacuum very thoroughly.

He peed on my bed twice, and is acting very strange, I am so worried


I will take him to the vet again tomorrow, but currently I feel like I've done something horrible, and I feel so helpless.
This is perhaps the most unusual thing I have ever read on The Cat Site so I doubt whether you will find anybody with experience in this. It sounds like you are doing everything you possibly can do. If you have not done so already, try researching this on the internet. Google now (if you have the latest download) operates on phrases and suggests phrases to you as you type them in. Even though this subject sounds so rare of a situation, I bet you can find many answers doing a search on such things as uticating reactions in animals and humans, things like that. And then back to the vet.
 

mrblanche

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I assume the vet knew about the tarantula, right? The only thing I can think he might do is swab out your cat's mouth and throat in an attempt to remove any remaining hair.
 
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hwangster

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I have tried Google as well as Tarantula Forums...

But I have not been able to find similar accounts. It's the 4th day, and he is showing little improvement
 

pami

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When a cat doesnt eat, he can start develope fatty liver and he wont want to eat. Im not sure how to advise on the tarantula, but while that is being sorted out, you need to start assist feeding your cat asap. Heres a website on some info on how. Sending so many postives vibes your your kitties way.


http://www.holisticat.com/ffeed.html
 

justem265

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I know this was posted forever ago but I was wondering how your cat got on? I've had the same thing happen with my cat a couple of days ago and he is acting the same way as you described. Did you go back to the vet? Mine havnt got a clue how to help
 

Norachan

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I know this was posted forever ago but I was wondering how your cat got on? I've had the same thing happen with my cat a couple of days ago and he is acting the same way as you described. Did you go back to the vet? Mine havnt got a clue how to help
This is a very old thread and the original poster probably won't see this. However, game misconduct game misconduct might know something about this subject
 

fionasmom

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Does your vet have access to communicating with a teaching hospital or large specialty clinic, maybe in a major city?
 
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