A REDDITCH dog was “almost unrecognisable” after being bitten by a venomous spider whilst on a walk with her owners.

Bonnie, a black Labrador, was left in agony after the spider, believed to be a false widow or similar, sank its fangs into the poor pooch.

Five days after the bite, the 15-month-old needed emergency treatment after her face swelled up and one of her eyes was forced shut.

In Newcastle at the time visiting family, owners Lisa and Nick Bennett rushed Bonnie to Vets Now pet emergency clinic in Gateshead.

The devastated couple were worried Bonnie’s windpipe and throat may also swell.

Lisa said: “It was a terrible shock to see her face swell up and it happened so quickly.

“Being so far from home made it even worse — you just feel so vulnerable when your pet is in distress.

Redditch Advertiser: 15-month-old Bonnie's face began swelling rapidly five days after sustaining a spider bite.(Image: Vets Now)15-month-old Bonnie's face began swelling rapidly five days after sustaining a spider bite.(Image: Vets Now)

“Bonnie is a very intelligent dog, and she was clearly aware that something was wrong.

“She kept trying to use her paw to wipe and scratch away the swelling, which made it more upsetting to see.

“We assumed it was a reaction to something she’d eaten or possibly a snake bite, but it never occurred to us she’d been bitten by a spider.”

Vet Konrad and his team hooked Bonnie up to a drip and ran some tests confirming Bonnie had been bitten by a spider.

The team then administered an injection to counteract the effects of the bite, keeping Bonnie under surveillance.

Lisa added: “Konrad and the team at Vets Now said it can be several days before a spider bite starts affecting a dog — and that’s when we realised.

“Five days before all this drama happened, we’d been walking Bonnie and our other black lab Benson near our house when she gave a yelp and came limping back to us.

“We checked her over, couldn’t see anything untoward and just assumed she’d maybe stood on a thorn.

“Then she went off again and seemed totally fine.

“But what we know now is that the yelp was almost certainly a sign she’d been bitten.”

Bonnie’s swelling disappeared completely after three days, and she has made a full recovery.

Senior vet nurse Ashley Wemple said it’s very rare for pets to be bitten by spiders.

She said: “This is not the type of case we see every day. But if your dog gets bitten by an insect or even a snake, it can be difficult to see any evidence because the bite is often covered by their fur.

“Symptoms can include swelling, itchiness and irritation of the skin and, in severe cases, an allergic reaction.

“It can take hours — or, as in Bonnie’s case, days — for this to happen.

“But if there is a bad reaction or swelling then time really is of the essence, and you should seek help straight away.

“Nick and Lisa did the right thing calling us when they did — if they had delayed, the consequences could have been very serious.

“Bonnie was such a friendly and good-natured dog. We were all delighted to see her go back to Lisa and Nick after treatment with her tail wagging.”