Dog vs. Tarantula?

....okay. after seeing the most disgusting creature crawling my back porch i am here to ask a question.

my dogs were outside a bit ago doing their bathroom business after their evening meal. they had been out for about 20mins, when i went to let them to get ready for our evening walk. i noticed a HUGE brown tarantula crawling across my back porch. i am deathly scared fo spiders any bigger than i nickle...so seeing this monster was enough to turn my hair white. i screamed bloodly murder which of course brought every male member of my household running, along w/my 4 dogs.
my catahoula Patch (avatar) always my 4 legged hero, dove right in and started doing what catahoulas do best...circling and barking keeping it in one spot (that's what they do w/cattle and hogs). my two femles stayed back as if to say .."im not touching that thing! it's all you Patch"
my mini dachshund, every the wonderful mouse warrior, dive in under Patch and just goes NUTS on this nasty freak of nature.

2008-03-29T17:56:23Z

he attacked it...while my husband was trying to get all the dogs away from it, and kill it..(with my new broom!)...and i was standing ON my kitchen table 10 ft from the backdoor screaming like a banchee.
eventually my husband comes in the door looking every bit the knight in shinning armor, and declare.."well..it's dead, but i think Dodger ate some of it".

my question is...do you think this will hurt my little fuzzy hero?

i called for the vet on call, and all he did was laugh at me. (jerk off) he's not my usual vet, just the one on call in town tonight. i have every intention to call my vet on Monday morning...but i just dont know.
i know Tarantulas are not toxic, but still.
anybody?

2008-03-29T18:12:56Z

okay to dispell confusion.
1. there WAS a question there, im not going to repeat it, you need to learn to read.
lol
2. Patch is the catahoula, Dodger is the mini doxie. Patch only barked at it, Dodger attacked and possible ate some of it.

2008-03-29T18:21:04Z

BTW- the new broom is now the new outside broom....ucky. im not cleaning my floors w/a broom that was once home to tarantula guts. *shivers*

Anonymous2008-03-30T16:47:37Z

Favorite Answer

OH my! I'm glad I don't live near you. I have enough problems with hairy spiders in my house and I go nuts every time. I swear they LOOK at me like they are going to jump on me and kill me.

I don't think your dog is going to get sick but keep an eye on him.

This is the most hilarious thing I've read in awhile... but I'm sympathetic. I don't mean to laugh at your terror but you know how it is... =)

20

misstraceyrick2008-03-29T18:04:18Z

You should write a book - no wonder jerk off laughed - your tales hilarious! As long as he didn't eat the poison bit he'll be ok, he may have trouble with his throat though, the hairs on a tarantula are tough and wiry! Actually the poison is in the bite so if he's not got any raised marks on his body and is running around as normal i'd say he's had a lucky escape. He may not have eaten anything at all but maybe just got a few spider hairs down his throat? Hope he's ok, good luck.

10

Rosalie2008-03-29T18:08:21Z

There is some information about the hairs on the tarantula being very irritating - and in some rodents, lethal. Although it doesn't sound as if they are very poisonous otherwise, that might matter to a small dog.

I think it would be worth a call to the ASPCA poison hotline, as unusual as this is, I'd be willing to bet it isn't the first time they've heard of it - and it does sound like you need more information soon...

Good luck - i hope your dog's OK, and thanks for the great story!

20

john n2008-03-29T18:29:49Z

all i can say is i'm glad it was u and not mee!! i am not fond of big spiders no matter what people say.my dogs go after anything that scurrys accross the floor and pounces on whatever it is like mice,bird,chipmunks and of course 8 legget freaks.not as big as urs since i am in canada but some brown and black ones.i'm sure ur dogs will be fine. mine attacked a huge gardner snake as it was lunging for him, and also snatched a bird right out of the air so he is fine. it is in most dogs natures to get whatever is not suppose to be near their family whether it is in the house or outside. good for ur dogs and watch out for those spiders.

10

Elissa.2008-03-29T18:03:19Z

That vet sounds like a jerk! It's very unprofessional for him to just laugh. You're not the only one who gets worried when their pets eat spiders.

I think he'll be fine, though. Dogs eat all sorts of bugs and they don't get sick. If notice anything different about him though (his behaviour, his health etc) take him to the vet.
I advise you to still call your vet just in case any of us are wrong here, though.

10
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