Whether you have a pet tarantula and a dog, or whether you’re just curious. I’m sure you’d like to know what would happen if a tarantula bit your dog? Would the dog be ok? Is there anything you need to do?
If you live in a warmer climate or keep pet tarantulas, this isn’t an impossibility and of course you wish to be prepared for such an unfortunate event.
Please bear in mind this article is only applicable to tarantulas and not every arachnid.
Of course, this all depends on the size and health of the dog. A bite from an Old World tarantula on a smaller dog, like a puppy, or a dog with underlying health conditions, could prove fatal. See our chart below for whether a particular tarantula bite is actually poisonous to your dog.
| TYPE OF TARANTULA | POISONOUS TO DOGS | POISONOUS TO CATS |
|
Antilles Pink Toe Tarantula – New World (Caribena Versicolor) |
NO | NO |
|
Arizona Blonde – New World (Aphonopelma chalcodes) |
NO | NO |
|
Baboon spider – Old World (Pterinochilus murinus) |
YES | YES |
|
Blue Fang Tarantula – New World (Ephebopus cyanognathus) |
NO | NO |
|
Chaco Golden Knee Tarantula – New World (Grammostola pulchripes) |
NO | NO |
|
Chinese Bird Spider – Old World (Haplopelma schmidti) |
YES | YES |
|
Cobalt Blue Spider – Old World (Haplopelma lividum) |
YES | YES |
| Electric Blue Tarantula – Old World
(Chilobrachys sp.) |
YES | YES |
|
Fringed Ornamental Tarantula – Old World (Poecilotheria ornate) |
YES | YES |
| Greenbottle Blue Tarantula – New World
(Chromatopelma cyaneopubescens) |
NO | NO |
|
Goliath Birdeater Tarantula – New World (Theraphosa Blondi) |
NO (but huge fangs) | NO (but huge fangs) |
| Gooty Sapphire Tarantula – Old World
(Poecilotheria Metallica) |
YES | YES |
|
Indian Ornamental Tarantula – Old World (Poecilotheria Regalis) |
YES | YES |
| Indian Rainbow Tarantula – Old World
(Haploclastus devamatha) |
YES | YES |
|
Indian Violet Tarantula – Old World (Chilobrachys fimbriatus) |
YES | YES |
|
King Baboon Tarantula – Old World (Pelinobius Muticus) |
YES | YES |
| Mexican Red Knee Tarantula – New World
(Brachypelma Hamorii) |
NO | NO |
|
Neon Blue Leg Tarantula – Old World (Neo Birupes simoroxigorum) |
YES | YES |
| Pink Toe Tarantula – New World
(Avicularia Avicularia) |
NO | NO |
|
Pumpkin Patch Tarantula – New World (Hapalopus sp Colombia) |
NO | NO |
| Skeleton Tarantula – New World
(Ephebopus murinus) |
NO | NO |
| Thailand Black Tarantula – Old World
(Haplopelma Minax) |
YES | YES |
As there are over 1,000 species of tarantula (both new and old world), we have only listed the top 20 for hobbyists.
If you are keeping tarantulas as pets, it’s best to avoid the possibility of them and your dog coming into contact regardless.
As you can see, there is no straight yes or no answer to this question.
With respect to tarantulas, New Worlds at least (for example, the Mexican Red Knee (Brachypelma hamorii) which is a great Tarantula for beginners by the way), it’s a very simple no, as long as your dog is in good health, they are not poisonous.
There is no doubt that your dog will have a slight painful bite mark (which can be alleviated with pain-killers if necessary), but no real harm will come your pup.
In the case of Old Worlds (for example, the Baboon spider (Pterinochilus murinus) commonly known as the OBT for it’s striking orange markings), it’s a completely different ball-game and should be treated as an emergency.
OBT in a threat posture
Can a Tarantula Kill a Dog?
As previously discussed, the possibility of a New World tarantula killing a dog is very slim.
It is more than possible for an Old World tarantula to prove fatal to a dog as it has much more powerful venom and is therefore highly toxic to dogs.
In case you are unfamiliar with the differences between Old World and New World tarantula’s, we have a separate article here covering that very thing.
How Do I Know if my Dog Has Been Bitten by a Tarantula?
Your dog will show signs straight away of being bitten by a tarantula. Obviously there will be a redness and swelling at the site of the wound, there will be irritation and you may find your dog licking or biting the area in an effort to use his natural saliva to heal himself. If your dog has any of the following, seek immediate veterinarian assistance:
- Vomiting
- Diarrhoea
- Lethargy
- Muscle tremors
- Seizure
- Unconsciousness
Why is my Dog Eating Tarantulas?
As we all know, dogs tend to use their mouths for recreation as well as eating (playing “fetch”, tugging a rope etc.), therefore dogs tend to be more interested in arachnids as things to play with rather than eat. Another thing to consider is that these small creatures give off a scent that dogs are attracted to, hence their desire to go and investigate.
How Long Does it Take for a Dog to React to a Tarantula Bite?
The blister from a tarantula bite will develop within 2-8 hours. This may be accompanied with a bulls-eye lesion. Initially, a small amount of redness and swelling may be noticeable.
What Can I Give my Dog if he Has Been Bitten by a Tarantula?
If your dog should unfortunately get bitten by a tarantula, there are a few things you can do to help him before seeking further assistance if necessary.
- Use a cold compress to help with swelling.
- Give your dog an Oatmeal bath.
- Apply a paste of Baking Soda and water to the wound.
- Apply Aloe Vera gel to the bite.
- If safe to do so, give your dog Benadryl.
Can a Spider Bite Kill a Dog?
Very briefly, we will cover general spider bites.
Indeed, as previously mentioned in this article, a spider bite can quite easily kill a dog depending on the size of the dog, it’s current health and the potency of the spiders venom.
For example, the common house spider (Tegenaria Domestica) is completely harmless, whereas the black widow spider (Latrodectus) is lethal.
In summary, this is a very genus specific question to answer.
If you’re new to the tarantula keeping world, chances are you only have New Worlds anyway so it’s somewhat less of a worry, but any tarantula bite should be monitored with extreme caution.
As we said earlier in this article, to avoid any doubt, it’s best to keep tarantulas and dogs separate as much as possible.
A separate article on spider bites is available here. If in doubt, contact your local veterinarian immediately.