Friend has an allergy...

[Raan_Jodus]

I usually keep my nose in the Scorpion forum since that holds my interest mostly. But I have something I'm a little confused about.

Apparently, a friend of mine has an allergy to spider bites. Now I thought I had read that spider venom isn't an allergy reacting type. Now maybe I'm misreading that as to meaning that there are few cases of someone dying/falling into shock. When she gets bit she says she gets bitten her skin gets all black and blue and then starts to come off around the site. It sounds like an infection thing or something. I forget the term for it. She said the last time she got bit, she had a nice large liesion on her leg from it. Also says she was confirmed as an allergy by a doctor.

Anyone familiar with this happening? We're in southern ontario, and as far as I know there isn't much crawling around thats gonna do much damage around here. House spiders, wolf spiders, stuff that just crawls into homes. What also really doesnt help is that she is scared of spiders pretty bad.

So, I was wondering if anyone here knows any home made ways to keep spiders from wandering inside? I know its pretty impossible, but I thought I'd ask for her sake.

Oddest thing, she really likes my scorpions....go figure.

 

[dirtborder4life]

Preventing SPider Invasion

Not sure about the allergy thing,but i do know you can buy this stuff from walmart and places like that,like garden stores that you can spray around the perimeter of your house and it's like a barrier for bugs,spiders included.Also,you can use one or two of those fooger things every now and then inside the house to kill whats already in there.

Hope that helps.

 

[JPD]

Is your friend absolutely certain that she is being bitten by spiders? It is fairly common for people to blame spiders for bites when in fact, it could be a dozen other things.
The best way to keep spiders out is to eliminate their source of food. No bugs = No food = No spiders.
Best of luck to your friend.

 

[Raan_Jodus]

Shes pretty sure its the spider, I was wondering that it might not be myself. As far as a food source, I dont think she would have much for them. She's a pretty clean person, the rest of the people in the building I can't really comment on. But I might have found a solution from an informercial.

Vinnegar and coconut oil in a spray bottle. Supposedly and old remedy that keeps them away. Not really the forum to suggest that in I know but who knows who might want it as reference.

 

[JonPaul]

JPD has a great point. Almost all bites that are unidentified are blamed on spiders, with the recluse taking the dirty end of the stick. If your friend gets bit again, ask for the spider that bit them. I'm sure all the wonderful people here will be at least 99% accurate in identifying it. Just remember, when it comes to spider bites, (at least in my experience) you really have to aggitate them in order to get a bite. I'm speaking about house spiders though.

JonPaul

 

[Lycanthrope]

I'm no allergist, but the symptoms don't sound like any allergic reaction I've ever heard of.

 

[TheNothing]

it is possible for her to be hyperreactive to a necrotic envenomation, but as far as i'm aware, there is no spider in that part of canada that has such capabilities (hobo spiders in British Columbia are the only ones i'm aware of).

It is not uncommon, however, to get infections from other bites that can created necrotic wounds. Staphylococcus is one of the most common culprits. These infections can occure from any bite (non-recluse spiders, centipedes, mites, ticks, wasps, bedbugs, kissing bugs, biting flies, etc.)

 

[Raan_Jodus]

I think that might be her problem, I know that there are no spiders with such venom around here. So even if she is getting bit, its not the spider thats doing this. Could it be she is more prone to liesions such as this? It really does not sound like some kind of allergy when I heard it. Bumps, redness, rash, anapalaptyc (sp?) shock...sure...but rotting skin? Just didn't add up when I heard it.

For some reason I think whichever doc told her she had an allergy, just sounds exactly like what everyone in California says about Recluses, but as stated around here before, there are none in California. Scapegoat kinda thing.

Perhaps its area shes living in? Maybe shes just more prone to some bacteria thats around? I doubt i'll ever see the spider that she see's around most often. Apparently its a single species most of the time. She Raids it, and has such a hard time even disposing of a dead one. And she doesn't really have anyone around to help her with it (I'm about an hour away right now). I feel bad cause you can't even mention Spider around her or she'll get the creeps. Convincing her its not a spider bite doing it would likely be as difficult, which I doubt I'll bother trying to do.

 

[TheNothing]

i think it might be bacterial. Staph is all over the place. The thing is everyone reacts differently once it does make its way into the body.

wonder if doctors can check for that....