# how bad is a spider bite oozing pus?



## meowee (Jul 8, 2004)

My daughter has a spider bite that is oozing pus and blood. I drained as much as a could and we're trying to get an appt to go into the dr, but I'm wondering just how bad this is... should I panic? Has anyone had an infected spider bite? As far as I know it wasn't a recluse spider but I don't know for sure.


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## Llyra (Jan 16, 2005)

Are you sure it was a spider bite? Reason I ask is that sometimes a staph infection can look a lot like a spider bite, but it doesn't get better like it should. I wouldn't panic, not at all! But I would probably try and get her to a doc just to check on it, and soon.


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## bigeyes (Apr 5, 2007)

Yup. We thought ds had spider bites and it was staph. Bad stuff.

If it's oozing pus and blood, I'd go get it checked. We ended up with a painful doctor visit because we waited.


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## nalo (Oct 25, 2005)

I just recently had what I thought was a bug bite (still not totally sure what it was) that turned into a small blister on my toe. When I popped it it rapidly became infected and started spreading up my foot in a big red line. Very dangerous! I am nursing and my options were basically take abx or risk losing my foot (neither option was ideal!). Even my ND who prescribes abx maybe 3 times per year agreed with my MD that I needed abx immediately or I was at risk for sepsis. I would soak the affected area in a thick paste of epsom salts and then put some sort of spray or cream to try to fight any infection. I use Cal. Baby diaper spray - it's got all kinds of great stuff in it. You can also give some echinacea and garlic to help boost immunity but keep a close eye on it. If the red starts to spread at all - especially in a line - you will need abx. They are much better than the alternative in a case like mine/this.


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## hippiemom (Jan 7, 2002)

YES, they can be dangerous, and you should absolutely get it checked ASAP, especially in a child. I had a similar experience last summer, where it looked and felt like a mosquito bite on my ankle, but got a pus center and then turned red-purple and got other pus circles around it, miserable. It went from bad to worse quickly and I took antibiotics (2 courses) to clear it. My doc took it seriously, called me at home each day to check on it. It turned out to be a recluse bite and I was sensitive to it apparently, but yeah they suspected staph first. MESS. Do not delay, get it checked!


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## meowee (Jul 8, 2004)

We are back from the dr-- thankfully we were able to get in. He prescribed two antibiotics and took cultures of it. I'm as sure as I can be that it is a spider bite, but the dr said it was so badly infected by this point that he couldn't tell what it was and would just treat the infection.

TY for your advice!


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## sbgrace (Sep 22, 2004)

Do you live in an area that has native recluses? http://www.idph.state.il.us/envhealt...usespiders.htm

I'm glad he cultured.


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## OakBerry (May 24, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *sbgrace* 
Do you live in an area that has native recluses? http://www.idph.state.il.us/envhealt...usespiders.htm

I'm glad he cultured.

Omg. In that link did you see all the spiders stuck on the sticky tape? Gaaah!


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