YIKES...Brown Recluse Spider Bite

[beandip]

Originally Posted by kittymonsters

Sending settled tummy vibes for Leopold, ( Zoe is too, she says Baytril is YUCKY, and wishes Leopold would be her boyfriend because he has been so brave)

Also sending lots of "iShots are easy" vibes for you. We know you can do it!

Thanks for the vibes and encouragement! So far so good, but I'm on my own tomorrow. We'll see.

It occured to me that out of desperation, I had hidden a 1/2 a pepcid tablet in some food, and he did actually eat half of it...so that may have been the miraculous healer. That chicken flavored Pepcid is NASTY. Oh my, it smells horrible...Leopold wouldn't take it by itself, in food, in tuna, or by force. He's wearing it on the top of his head.

No vomiting last night, though...and he's eating pretty well today.

On that note, the other cats weren't impressed with the Chicken Pepcid tainted food either. Pixel did snarf down a half a dose that was mixed with about a teaspoon of tuna. She was looking around, all confused, like "you guys don't want this??".

Originally Posted by Momofmany

You can do it!!

You can do it!!

You can do it!!

I lived in a house built in 1884 right over the Kansas border. We found a brown recluse in our recycle bins that we kept in the house. When we bought the house, our real estate agent told us a story of her son living in an old house and getting bit by one.

I'm not saying this to scare you, but perhaps you might want to find a cat safe way to exterminate the unwanted critters in your house. I was always paranoid of spiders at the old house (we actually found a tarantella in the walls once) and calmed down a lot after we moved out.

Thanks for the cheers. No kidding on the exterminator. One time, in the basement of a different house I saw a spider that was way too big to squish with toilet paper. It had big fat hairy legs. I can still see it in my mind, and that was probably 25 years ago. EEEEEK. I've seen some nasty ones, but that one was the worst. I can't believe people keep those as pets. To each his own, but definitely not for me.

Originally Posted by Renovia

i think i would be paranoid every day of my life if i lived down there.......i absolutely hate spiders.

how are the shots going?

Paranoid? Me? No. I'm fine. Really I'm fine. I swear, I'm fine.

The shots are going real well so far. I received a free sample of Wellness kibble in the mail and that stuff is Leopold's post shot "treat". He loves it. I think he's figuring out that shots equal treats. That was good timing for new "treats".

Keep cheering tomorrow. I can do it, I can do it!!! I'll keep saying that till I believe it.

 

[renovia]

i just got those kibble/treats in the mail too

 

[beandip]

Well, I didn't exactly succeed, but I did get the last word, and he got all his meds. I could only keep him still for half the injection. So I tried a couple more times, no luck. So I gave him half a pill (same stuff). That is progress, though...as I've NEVER gotten a pill down his throat by myself.

Pilling the other cats is pretty easy. When Leopold is restrained, he turns into a screaming, howling demon cat.

Beandip is my little darling who doesn't even require restraint for a pill.

 

[pami]

Im glad to hear things are better with Leopold. I have thought about you guys a lot and said many prayers for your little guy.

When mine have had to be given pills, I always have my vet call it into a compound shop where they can make it liquid and flavored.

Originally Posted by beandip

Beandip is my little darling who doesn't even require restraint for a pill.

Awwwwww look at that sweet little face in your siggy awwwwwww

 

[beandip]

Originally Posted by Pami

When mine have had to be given pills, I always have my vet call it into a compound shop where they can make it liquid and flavored.

Thanks for thinking of us. The battle seems to be almost over.

So the compounded liquids, you've had good luck with that? We tried that with the Pepcid and it was a flop. Pixel was the only one who would eat the "Chicken flavored Pepcid Tuna".

 

[pami]

My vet showed me a way to give the liquid meds by just sticking the tip of the syringe in and squirting on the side of the mouth. Between their teeth and their cheek.All it took was me holding the cat for a sec and squirting.

It was really simple and a way that wasnt upsetting to any of us.

Im so glad to hear the battle is almost over. I will continue to keep you both in my thoughts and prayers.

 

[renovia]

how's his bite looking?

 

[beandip]

Originally Posted by Pami

My vet showed me a way to give the liquid meds by just sticking the tip of the syringe in and squirting on the side of the mouth. Between their teeth and their cheek.All it took was me holding the cat for a sec and squirting.

It was really simple and a way that wasnt upsetting to any of us.

Im so glad to hear the battle is almost over. I will continue to keep you both in my thoughts and prayers.

Hmm...that's the way I've done it too...but Sir Leopold will calmly allow me to get both of us in position, and he lets me brace my hand on the left side of his head, and I slip the syringe in on the right side....and all is calm and peaceful - then I push the plunger and his head thrashes and that's when I lose control. Believe it or not, it was easier sticking a needle in him. I don't know what his deal is.

Originally Posted by Renovia

how's his bite looking?

I can't find any sign of trouble in his mouth now. It looks very good. I think the key was just getting him right in for the steroid shot and the antibiotics. I was really worried. I'm so relieved that it turned out so well.

That thing creeped me out, I also can't believe I had the guts to put the toilet paper on it. I'm really that much of a wimp.

 

[tru]

Originally Posted by beandip

That thing creeped me out, I also can't believe I had the guts to put the toilet paper on it. I'm really that much of a wimp.

I probably would have grabbed something to smash it beyond recognition and then picked it up with a tissue.

If I should ever encounter such a problem, I will try to remember your experience as a lesson to exercise control.

 

[kellyyfaber]

So glad to see that everything is going well! What a scare, kudos to you for keeping your head straight and staying calm!

 

[kittymonsters]

I somehow missed the end of this thread. I have been thinking about you and your big guy.

I am so glad that things seem to be all over and Leopold is doing well.

My sweet little Zoe girl is absolutely impossible to shove anything down her throat. I think because she has been very sick for most of her life and she has just decied that enough is enough. She will also then get psychological anorexia which only makes matters worse.

She will sit sweet as can be for an injection, sub-Q or IM. So no matter how much I hate giving shots, for her I always specifically request them.

Have to say again, how happy I am that things went so well with Leopold. It really think it was your quick action that saved him.

 

[beandip]

Thanks

Leopold has recovered nicely. I'm very relieved that it all turned out well. 24 hours after the last dose of Baytril, his appetite returned with a vengeance!

I think Zoe and Leopold would make a cute couple.

The slightly bad news is that DH got bitten Thursday evening. We think it happened around 5pm. Around 7:15, we were out eating dinner and he noticed that his ankle felt weird. He pulled his sock back to find a 2" bruise on top of a 2" lump. Yikes. It didn't take too much thought to figure out what it was.

We didn't waste any time, we just went straight to the ER. Bactrim and Dapsone seem to be doing the trick.

It didn't even have time to blister. The Dr. was a little alarmed at how quickly it turned black and blue, though. It's looking pretty good now.

 

[kittymonsters]

OMG that is awful! I have the heeby geebies just thinking about it. Thankfully you got DH to the hospital right away too. I know my waiting 24 hours was a bad thing. I just had no clue what would happen.

I have noticed the spiders are especially abundant this year. I just cleaned 4 widows out of the barn and I have a bunch of the hunting spiders in the house.

Are you going to be able to get it set up to have an exterminator come? make sure you specificaly tell him you want the recluses taken care of. I think they spray in different places for them.

After I got bit I started shaking out all my cloths and then putting them in the dryer for 5 minutes before getting dressed.

Lots of quick healing vibes for DH!!!!

yeah, Leo and Zoe would make a good pair

 

[pami]

Oh my goodness sending healing vibes for your DH....... I have been packing to move and I keep looking to make sure Im not shaking up any recluse spiders........

Just like kitty that gives me the heeby jeebies. Im sure you, too.

Im glad to hear Leopold is better now.

 

[mlynn]

Those are NASTY. They need to be taken care of ASAP. Thier vemon has a flesh eating poision in it that will makes "holes" in the flesh/tissue where the bite occured. The effect is similar to a flesh eating disease. My aunt got bitten by a brown recluse - and she had to go to specialist after specialist and have all types of diffrent treatments to get the infected tissue out of the leg so the infection stoped spreading. She has a gaping hole in her leg/calf by the time all was said and done. The hole healed over into a scar - but there is still a large hole where her tissue/flesh/muscle used to be that will never fill in. The vemon just literially ate away at her flesh. It was so horrible just to look at. I couldn't even be in the same room with her when she had to change her bandage. It was awful.

 

[techiegirl]

My friend's brother died from a brown recluse spider bite. He was in the hospital for a month. He got better and they sent him home. Got really sick the next day or 2 and was readmitted to the hospital and died.

 

[renovia]

Originally Posted by beandip

Thanks

Leopold has recovered nicely. I'm very relieved that it all turned out well. 24 hours after the last dose of Baytril, his appetite returned with a vengeance!

I think Zoe and Leopold would make a cute couple.

The slightly bad news is that DH got bitten Thursday evening. We think it happened around 5pm. Around 7:15, we were out eating dinner and he noticed that his ankle felt weird. He pulled his sock back to find a 2" bruise on top of a 2" lump. Yikes. It didn't take too much thought to figure out what it was.

We didn't waste any time, we just went straight to the ER. Bactrim and Dapsone seem to be doing the trick.

It didn't even have time to blister. The Dr. was a little alarmed at how quickly it turned black and blue, though. It's looking pretty good now.

oh my oh my oh my, i couldn't live my life down there around these spiders. i would be exterminating and checking EVERYTHING

 

[pookie-poo]

Gosh, I'm so sorry your husband was bitten! I guess it's kind of fortuitous that we've all talked about our experiences and what to look for, so you knew right away to go to the E.R.!

I set off bug bombs in my shed now whenever I know I'm going to do any gardening the next day. Perhaps you should consider having a regular exterminating schedule instituted!

 

[jcat]

I hope your husband has as quick a recovery as Leopold. What scary experiences. I'm going to be all paranoid about brown recluse spiders when I'm in the U.S. in August, I'm sure.

 

[mom of 4]

Best wishes for your husband.
I was talking to our vet one day about the pest service we use (as part of our contract, they will treat for fleas) and the conversation turned to spiders. He mentioned that treating for spiders is a waste of money, due to their inability to absorb the poison. However, you can reduce their prey and thus decrease the number of spiders. So be wary of the guys who promise to eliminate the spiders.

I've lived in areas known for a high number of brown recluse spiders for over 50 years. I've never been bitten, nor has any family member. Take simple precautions such as not piling clothes, shake out shoes before putting on, the same for any clothes not worn in awhile (especially if they were folded). Store items in plastic bins with a tight sealing lid, not cardboard boxes.

Personally, I am more concerned about the deadly snakes in our area. And I've never been bitten by one of them either.