Spider bite?

[Traveller]

This morning as I was putting suncream on my daughter I noticed a large (about the size of a golf ball) swelling on her arm which is red and hot to the touch. In the centre there is a yellowy/white part where it looks as though the skin is broken. From this the wound is weeping yellow clear fluid. She has no fever, aches, chills, nausea or anything else, although she did wake up crying several times overnight. Does this sound like a spider bite or something else and if it is a spider bite what do I do to treat it? For the moment I have put some organic honey (natural healing benefits) and gauze to stop the itch.

TIA

Trav
xx

[Beach Mama]

Poor darling, Could it be a march fly bite hun? I had 2 last week and they were huge, hard and had a bruise around them too. I would keep an eye on her and get it checked if she's worse tomorrow xoxox

[Traveller]

I have no idea what march flies are, but as I didn't see anything bite her it could have been anything. What sort of symptoms might she develop, google is being it's usual overdramatic self so I'm afraid to trust it.

[NaeNae]

March flies are nasty and do not necessarily hang around the beaches. They are large biting flies about the size of a 20c piece sometimes larger.

Could be a spider bite too lots are coming inside this time of year.

It does sound like she has had a reaction to whatever it is - could even be a mozzie? Are there puncture wounds? if she has been scratching she may have knocked the skin off so it may be difficult.

Its a tough call but I'd check her bed and around her bed just incase it was a spider bite and she squished it or its hiding. Keep a close eye on her too. Some part of me wants you to take her to the hossy to get checked out but if you have already cleaned the wound or put something on it IF it was a spider bite the toxins that could help to identify the spider would have already been washed away.

Hoping she remains ok and the swelling goes down.

Nae x

[Traveller]

I've checked her bed (although with her being unsettled she went into my bed with DH and I slept in her bed so I kinda wish I had checked last night lol) but there was nothing, and there was nothing in her pj's either. I can't really see if there are puncture wounds because the skin in the centre of the wound has broken down a little. If the swelling gets any worse I will take her to the weekend GP clinic to get some antibiotics because I am fairly certain there is something of an infection in the wound. Hopefully honey will do the trick though and I can save her the drugs.

[Cranky Kitten]

Most insect/spider bites that are swollen and painful will respond well to an icepack as well. Keep an eye on her and anything that doesn't seem right get her checked out - it should go down on it's own after a few days.

Poor lil poppet.

[Traveller]

thanks everyone for your advice

[~Kim~]

Could it be a white tail bite Trav?
Sounds awful poor pet.

[Traveller]

it's looking a lot better now, the swelling and redness are much reduced. I've taken the dressing off to see if it's still weeping or not, or if she can cope without it so time will tell.

[Traveller]

Just a quick update. The swelling has gone down but the redness and the heat have gotten much worse and are spreading over her arm. I took her to the doctor and it looks like whatever bit her is not the issue, but she has got an infection at the bite site.

[Floweryfields]

Sounds like how I react to sandfly bites.

[Beach Mama]

Oh no poor darling, is she on ABs to treat it or is it a case of wait and see? xoxo

[Traveller]

straight onto AB's and another checkup on Wednesday. It's spreading in blotchy patches over her arm so I think the infection is fairly well established. I'd love to catch the little blighter that bit her, I'd squash it so flat lol.

[NaeNae]

hmmm thats what happens with White Tail spider bites (depending on the persons reaction to the venom) massive hugs for her and you x x x

[Traveller]

That did cross my mind NaeNae but she has a few other bites on her legs that look like mozzie bites, and one on her ankle which has swollen right up too although not as severe, so I am thinking maybe she is just reacting badly to a mozzie bite rather than a spider. Although of course she could have delicious blood that both the spiders and the mozzies love so it could be both.