Dog ate chocolate?

 ask a vet

Black widow spider bite.

Species: Cat
Breed: ??
Age: 1-2 years
Hi,
A good friend of mine woke up this morning and found her cat dead in her bathroom. She said her cat was perfectly fine the night before because she let it outside and it was running around and playing then before bed she let it back in the house. It was still acting the same way, like itself. When she woke up this morning, she found it laying dead in her bathroom. She said one side of its mouth was swollen and there was a dead spider laying by the cat.

What could have caused the cat to die, with just one side of her mouth swollen? Could the spider have bit it?

I don't got the money to pay for a quick reply back but it has really upset her and I feel terribly bad because she rescued this cat when it was just a few weeks old when she found the momma cat dead. She has grown amazing attached to this cat and has had it for a little over a year.. I would really appreciate it if someone could help me with what could have caused this to her cat.

Please, please help. Thank you so much.


Online vet, Dr. Marie

Dr. Marie replied:

I'm so sorry to hear about your friend's cat.

Where I live there are no spiders that have a fatal bite. However, if you have black widow spiders in your area then the bite of this spider can be fatal, especially to cats. The black widow spider produces a toxin that seriously affects the central nervous system.

If this wasn't because of a spider bite, then the most common reason for a young cat to die suddenly is something called hypertrophic cardiomyopathy which is a heart condition. Cats with this heart condition can sometimes have no outward symptoms and then suddenly the heart can fail. If this is the case then there was nothing anything could have done to prevent the cat's death.

However, as HCM doesn't cause swelling by the mouth, I'm guessing this was indeed a bite from a black widow spider.

I'm so sorry for your loss.

Dr. Marie.

---This question was asked in our Ask A Vet For Free section.---


Do you have a pet website? Interested in learning more about SEO for Wix?

Check out our dog age calculator and cat age calculator.

Want to receive pet coupons, vet advice and info on new pet products in your inbox?

* indicates required

We'll only send you great stuff, never spam. Unsubscribe any time.

Disclaimer: Although Dr. Marie is a qualified veterinarian, the information found on this site is not meant to replace the advice of your own veterinarian. AskAVetQuestion.com and Dr. Marie do not accept any responsibility for any loss, damage, injury, death, or disease which may arise from reliance on information contained on this site. Do not use information found on this site for diagnosing or treating your pet. Anything you read here is for information only.

Search for similar questions:

ask a vet

Popular questions...

Oozing boil on dog's paw. My dog has a sort of woozing boil on her paw and all around it there is hair loss... (14426 views)

Missed vaccines. My dog is approximatley 4 years old and hasnt had any injections since she was... (6610 views)

Dog is leaking urine. We have a 4yr old female boxer/german shepherd mix who seems to be "leaking" a lot... (11570 views)

Guinea pig scabs around mouth. My guinea pig is getting brown/orange scabs around its mouth and nose?! I have took... (11361 views)

How to remove stitches Hi Thanks for the feedback last week. Your advice saved our dogs life. Ok we... (28073 views)

Bloody pee in dalmatian. what does it mean when his pee has blood in it? what should i do... (11357 views)

Dark sticky diarrhea. My 14yr old poodle has diarrhea and an upset stomach (he keeps eating grass in the... (16555 views)

Cat can't poop. hi am afraid it is a mega colon my cat is not giving any stool , although he is... (17194 views)

Laryngeal paralysis and vomiting. my dog gags and coughs when he eats and also eats mulch and grass and subsequently... (12947 views)

Senior cat losing weight. My cat is approx. 16 years old. The last few months she has been losing a lot of... (11210 views)

See all questions...

Dr. MarieDr. Marie is a veterinarian who practices in a busy animal hospital in Ottawa, Ontario. She created Ask A Vet Question as a resource for good, accurate veterinary advice online. Dr. Marie treats dogs, cats, hamsters, guinea pigs, and rats. She has been a vet since 1999.

Is an online vet visit just as good as a trip to your veterinarian? No! But, many times, asking an online veterinarian a question can help save you money. While Dr. Marie can't officially diagnose your pet or prescribe medications, she can often advise you on whether a vet visit is necessary. You can also ask Dr. Marie for a second opinion on your pet's condition.