Tyson is seen here snuggling up to dad while on the mend.
Earlier in the week he had fallen ill and had an abscess on the side of his face.  An abscess caused by a bug bite.  “A possible spider bite.”

Tyson is mostly indoors, and somewhat of a lazy lab, that really loves his naps.
Spider bites don’t always come from the outdoors.

Spider webs can be found everywhere, underneath the bottom of the stairs,  around an entry way, and even under chairs and tables.

Tyson has a habit of sleeping by the door during the day.  With the weather stripping being worn and the summer weather bringing a lot of insects, there’s no doubt many bugs had been creeping under the door.
Something that has since been fixed.

So could this be how it happened? Maybe, maybe not.  But it’s always better to be careful.  So this does not happen again.

Always be aware if your dog likes to nap near a shed, ledge, or the bottom of outdoor steps, or even an indoor staircase.
Any crevice or ledge where webs might exist.

Illness from spider bite is something I have heard about, but never had to go through with a pet of my own.
And hope to never go through again.

It’s common knowledge to watch out for black widows, but there are many other spiders that can be harmful too.  Spiders like the brown recluse.

In fact any bug bite can cause some kind of reaction.
Although if you’re lucky, it will just be irritation of the skin.

Tyson experienced high fever, lethargy, loss of appetite, and infection.  All symptoms of the nasty bite.

Luckily his trip to the vet was triggered by his loss of appetite.

This big boy loves food, so the minute he turned it down, it was time to figure things out, and quickly.

Always know when an animal turns away food or goes into hiding there’s definitely something wrong.

If you ever suspect a spider bite or high fever get your pet to the vet right away.

Glad to have big boy up n feeling good.❤