HI Everyone
Been a very busy, hectic, stressful few days since I blogged. Sometime Sunday night (8.27.06), after we went to bed,Rocky was bitten by a Black Widow Spider. I don't know if he got bit when he went outside to do his thing before we went to bed, or if he got bit inside our house, in the living room where he sleeps on his rug.

Copyright Eileen Nauman 2006
Here's the Black Widow I saw that told me Rocky had been bit by a spider--not a scorpion. Today (9.1.06) I will gently remove her from her web and take her down to the creek and explain to her she cannot live on our back porch.....
Anyway, when we got up on Monday morning we had an appointment we couldn’t get out of and would be unable to deal with Rocky all day as a result--until the evening hours.
When I got up on Monday morning, Rocky had vomited three different times on our carpet--and it was a mess to clean up. And he was staggering around,his eyes dull and he was panting heavily. I thought at first maybe it was an impaction in his intestines. He also refused to eat--and this is a ‘foody’ dog--food is his world and life--except for Dave, who he loves unequivocally. We put him outside for the day and he went over to an earthen depression in his back yard, under the tree in the shade and laid down and didn’t want to move.
When we got home at 5:30 pm, Rocky was looking the same. It was very hard for him to get up and when he did--he’d stagger a little. And he’d take a couple of steps and start heavy panting again. I intuitively felt he’d been poisoned--probably by a Bark Scorpion, which we have in droves out here. So, homeopathy to the rescue. I gave Rocky a Lachesis 200C in water.
About five minutes after taking the remedy, he heaved again. I felt that was a good sign. He refused to eat. And his eyes remained dull. And his walking was unsteady and very little. He continued to pant with very little exertion. We were very worried. I called Linda Metzler, who is a shaman and a PaC and asked her to take a journey to see what had happened to Rocky. Being a shaman, you can move into nonordinary reality and check it out. She called me back later and said she saw Rocky bit behind the left ear by a scorpion--but she also said something ‘else’, a dark shadow, was nearby and she couldn’t make out exactly what it was.
That was confirmation for me--so I continued to give Rocky Lachesis 200C three times on Monday. And, he wouldn’t eat, but he was looking a big better--less unsteady and not panting as much and a little more walking energy than before. I was convinced we were dealing with a venom situation and I also knew that if Rocky had been a small dog (he weighs 140 pounds...), he’d be DEAD. The venom was that powerful. I continued to give him Lachesis on Monday (3 doses) and two of the times, five minutes after taking it, he threw up. Again, a good sign. And he was slowly getting better but refused to eat--only drink water and pee.

Copyright Eileen Nauman 2006
Here is August 27, 2006 sunset
I kept thinking that his panting was odd....and Linda dropped over on Tuesday night and looked at him. She listened to his heart, palpated him to make sure there was no swelling or tenderness in his belly region (there was not). She is also a Reikie Master and she gave him a Reiki treatment--and shortly after that, he ate five small pieces of bread--for the first time. Which was a relief to all of us. He then got up and drank a lot of water--which was good.
Then, as Linda and I sat there with Rocky, I told her that when I was making copies at our copy machine in the back room, I happened to look out the window--and there on the screen--on our back porch--was a black widow spider! I told Linda about this and she said that was interesting because she had just talked to her MD she works with about Black Widow spiders today at work! There was a double check and I was paying attention.
I began to think about that. I asked Linda for Black Widow symptoms and she gave them to me--and Rocky really fit all the symptoms. His unusual panting was because the Black Widow venom affects the HEART and the heartbeat and she said it could be like an acute congestive heart failure symptom--the least exertion causes heavy panting because the heart is not working 100% and there’s lack of enough oxygen getting to the body to use up as energy.
At that point, I went out and got Latrodectus mactans--our homeopathic remedy version of Black Widow spider venom. I wanted to give him a 30C, but the lowest potency I had was a 200C. As soon as I gave it to Rocky, he got up and drank more water. His eyes looked brighter, clearer and more alert. He also moved without hesitation and without looking like h was going to fall over. Black Widow venom affects the central nervous system--and that explained WHY Rocky looked so unstable and tentative when he walked--he looked like he would fall over if he wasn’t careful. And that’s not scorpion venom symptom.
The Black Widow spider remedy proved to be the correct one. We had looked for a bite but couldn’t find one--but that’s not unusual on a big, hairy dog. There was nothing we could see behind his left ear--but that ear was a lot hotter to feel/touch than the right ear--so I believe he did get bit there just as Linda had seen in her shamanic journey for Rocky earlier.
Rocky improved dramatically on Wednesday--he pooped--pea green diarrhea--explosive and smelling like a cadaver--all signs of poisoning coming out of him. He also began to eat Dave’s french fries he’d brought back from McDonald’s about midday on Wednesday and needless to say--we were overjoyed and elated. We thought for sure he could die. And we also knew that Linda’s Reikie treatment and the aggressive homeopathic support is what pulled him through.
So, Thursday, Rocky was continuing to improve and I was giving him Lat. mactans 200C once a day--once every 24 hours. I noticed that by not giving it to him on time, that he seemed to stall out and stop improving. But as soon as I gave it to him late Thursday night, he perked up, eyes got bright, he was more his ‘old self’ and even imbibed in a few Fritoes--his favorite junk food. And, even better, he was trotting along and not panting like before, had much more vitality and energy--so clearly--this homeopathic remedy was the correct one.
Rocky is so used to walking the two miles with me that he wanted to go--but I knew he was having heart related problems still--so Dave walked with me and Rocky for a short distance. And then, when Rocky stopped and he was panting, Dave put the leash on him, turned around and they slowly walked home--it had been enough for a first outing for Rocky Docky. But he was happy to get his sniffs in and he pooped again--pea green diarrhea--same smell--so we know his body is continuing to break down the venom and get rid of it.

Copyright Eileen Nauman 2006
A man and his dog....Rocky with Dave walking back on his first hike after being bit on 8.31.06
Today, Friday, he’s looking real good--even growling and wanting to play with David--a great sign! He ate a full breakfast, bounced around the yard with Dave and seems very much his ‘old self’--although I will give him a dose of the remedy later this afternoon because I’ve treated a number of people over the years for Black Widow bites as a homeopath and I know it takes 3-6 months of treatment to eradicate the venom completely from a person. And Rocky will have a month or two of continued treatment. The good news on Rocky was we finally figured out WHAT had bitten him--thanks to two synchronistic events showing the Black Widow spider--and me understanding this is how everyday magic occurs so that if we’re paying attention--we ‘get it’ and can then act on it.
Below, I’m giving the traditional medicine symptoms for Black Widow spider bites/venom. And below it, what the symptoms are for Latrodectus mactans (black widow venom) that is used by a homeopath. Like cures like is one of the main tenants of Homeopathy. Rocky got bit by a Black Widow and so we used the homeopathic venom version to treat his symptoms--with 100% success.
The Lachesis, which is Bushmaster snake venom in homeopathic form, was CLOSE--and was helping to break down the spider venom--but was not the correct remedy. And so, if I hadn’t figured it all out with a lot of help from Linda and our every day synchronistic magic, Rocky would not be half as far along as he is already.
TRADITIONAL BLACK WIDOW BITE SYMPTOMS:
The black widow spider produces a protein venom that affects the victim’s nervous system. Some people are slightly affected by the venom, but others may have a severe response. The first symptom is acute pain at the site of the bite though there may only be a minimal local reaction.
* The local pain may be followed by localized or generalized severe muscle cramps, abdominal pain, weakness, and tremor. In severe cases, nausea, vomiting, faintness, dizziness, chest pain, and respiratory difficulties may follow.
* The severity of the reaction can depend on the age and physical condition of the person bitten. Children and the elderly are more seriously affected than young adults.
* In some cases, abdominal pain may mimic such conditions as appendicitis or gallbladder problems. Chest pain may be mistaken for a heart attack.
* Blood pressure and heart rate may be elevated.
* People rarely die from a black widow's bite. Life-threatening reactions are generally seen only in small children and the elderly.
What are the symptoms of a black widow spider bite?
The following are the most common symptoms of a black widow spider bite. However, each individual may experience symptoms differently. Symptoms may include:
* immediate pain, burning, swelling, and redness at the site (double fang marks may be seen) cramping pain and muscle rigidity in the stomach, chest, shoulders, and back
* headache
* dizziness
* rash and itching
* restlessness and anxiety
* sweating
* eyelid swelling
* nausea or vomiting
* salivation, tearing of the eyes
* weakness, tremors, or paralysis, especially in the legs
These symptoms of a black widow spider bite may resemble other conditions or medical problems. Always consult your physician for a diagnosis.
Resource: http://www.umm.edu/non_trauma/spider.htm
# Body as a whole
* Pain similar to a pinprick at site of bite
* Numbness (changes to a more numbing pain of the affected area)
* Muscle pain and cramps, especially of the shoulders, back, thighs, abdomen, or chest
* Increased sweating
* Increased salivation
# Circulatory
* High blood pressure
# Respiratory
* Difficulty breathing
# Skin
* Faint redness around bite area
* Mild swelling of bite area
* Itching
# Gastrointestinal
* Nausea and/or vomiting
# Nervous system
* Muscle weakness
* Restlessness
* Anxiety
* Headache
Resource: http://health.allrefer.com/health/black-widow-spider-info.html
HOMEOPATHIC SYMPTOMS THAT CAN BE TREATED BY Latrodectus mactans (Black Widow venom):
Resource: Master’s Web Spinners
Black Widow venom
Action of the Venom:
The venom of this spider is probably the most virulent as seen from the fact, that it has only about 1/200th of the amount of poison carried by the Prairie Rattler and yet it is about 15 times as potent.
The action of the venom is mainly neurotropic and is characterized by
- Generalized muscular cramps, spasms and rigidity.
- Sensation of constriction - 'Spider fetters its prey'.
- Hemorrhage of black blood.
- Slow vascular spasm at the extremities.
- Shivers, profuse cold sweat and pain which is very similar to angina pectoris.
- General pruritus.
- Desquamation of hands and feet.
- Sleeplessness. Restlessness.
- Mentally upset with a fear of going insane if a firm control is not exercised.
- Difficulty in breathing and talking.
- Slow action of the heart.
The crude provings of this venom was done by John Bradbury and Dr. A. W. Blair.
It was introduced into the Materia Medica by Jones and Tafel in 1889.
The venom causes interference to the passage of the nerve impulse at the neuromuscular junction where normal response depends on the release of acetylcholine. The venom causes premature release of all the acetylcholine, thus delaying the nerve impulse. But this is only a partial explanation of the biochemical effects of the venom.
Appearance of the Patient:
The patient has an expression of grave anxiety with extreme fear of dying and has a characteristics gait - bent forward with the hands held against the abdomen and the movement of the legs is achieved slowly and with difficulty. Speech may be difficult.
Miasm:
Syphilitic.
Pain in left arm; feels paralyzed. Hard aching pain in axilla. Paraesthesia of lower limbs.
This spider poison affects the HEART; producing a typical picture of angina pectoris. Blood becomes thin, watery. Tetanic effects lasting for several days. Restless; with cardiac pains, and prostrated
Resource: Phatak’s Concise Materia Medica
CLINICAL - Angina pectoris. Chronic idiopathic thrombocytopenia. Colic. Heart, attacks. Hemorrhages, watery. Infectious purpura.
Modalities - Better by sitting quietly. Worse from the slightest movement. Worse from motion even of hands. Worse from exertion.
MIND - Fear of suffocating or dying. The face betrays extreme anxiety. Anxiety about the heart. Screams fearfully with pain, exclaiming that she would lose her breath and die. Thinks he will suffocate. Sensitive to noise. Intense anguish with the sensation of severe thoracic constriction. Extreme state of nervous irritation with fear of going mad. Speech hesitant with tears. Apparently moribund.
Abdomen - Severe abdominal pain with nausea and a sinking sensation at epigastrium. Colic and hardness of the abdominal wall. Chronic cramp of the abdominal muscles without painful tenderness on palpation.
Back - Dorsal and lumbar cramps, going from the nape to the loins.
Chest - Angina pectoris. Violent, pericardial pain extending to the axilla and down the arm and forearm to fingers with numbness of the extremity. Sinking sensation. Cramping pain from chest to abdomen.
Ears - Pain in the right middle ear.
Eyes - Constant pulsating pain in the eyes.
Face - Expression of deep anxiety.
Food - Extreme thirst, vomits what he drinks.
Head - Pain in neck to back of head. Occipital pain. Headache, aggravated between 2 p.m. and 3 p.m.
Heart - Pericardial anxiety. Pain in pericardia with a loss of breath. screaming fearfully, exclaiming that she would lose her breath and die. Violent heart pains, sharp, extending to shoulders or both arms to fingers with numbness. Restless with cardiac pain and prostration. Pulse, feeble and rapid. Pulse so frequent it could not be counted and so feeble it could scarcely be felt.
Heart - Pain extends from bitten right hand to back of head, more violent pain in pericardia, extending thence to left shoulder and axilla, down arm to finger-ends, left arm partially paralyzed, left pulse extinct, right pulse doubtful.
Limbs - Hard aching pain in axilla. Pain in left arm, feels paralyzed. Weakness of legs followed by cramps in the abdominal muscles. Paresthesia (numbness, tingling, ect.) of lower limbs. Stinging in right wrist with itching and redness of bitten spot.
Kidneys - Burning pains on urinating in the urethra. Urine red, albuminous with casts. Proteinuria, hematuria, casts, glycosuria, diminution in the level of nitrogen eliminated through the urine.
Lungs - Gasping for breath, fear of losing breath and dying. Extreme apnea. Respiration only occasional, gasping. Bronchial rales. Cough with hawking. Yellow, thick, acrid sputum. Pulmonary edema. Respiration very slow, thinks he will suffocate.
Male - Frequent erections. Testicular pains, aggravated by movement. Very acute pains in the right testicle. Perspiration in the genital regions. Itching of prepuce with a little redness of the part.
Mouth - Labial fissure. White coloring of the tongue. Hypertrophy of the lingual papillae. Copious salivation. Trembling of the tongue.
Nose - Nose blocked. Thick, yellow discharge.
Rectum - Constriction of the anus with tarry stools. Two copious evacuations similar to the black vomit.
Skin - Loss of hair. Skin cold like ice, marble-white. Blue coloring. Eruption, which itches. Formication (feeling of insect crawling across your skin) and extreme sensitivity. Heavy, cold perspiration. Skin very painful at the slightest touch. Burning of the soles of the feet.
Sleep - Dreams of flying. Insomnia. Sleep disturbed, anxious.
Stomach - Eructation and loss of appetite. Nausea then abdominal pains. Vomiting of black blood, which soothes the condition. Transfixation (staring off into space) of pain or sinking at epigastrium. Feeling of weakness in epigastric region.
Throat - Throat red, dry. Tonsillitis with glairy deposit on tonsils. Pain on swallowing.
Vertigo - Vertigo and constrictive headache.
COMMENTS - Case I. A man bitten on the prepuce. At first there was itching in less than half an hour nausea followed by severe abdominal pains. Soon after, violent pericardial pains, extending to axilla and down left arm and forearm to fingers with numbness of the limbs and apnea. Dry cupping was resorted to and the blood that flowed was thin and florid and un-coagulable. This was before Semple arrived.
He then found most violent pericardial pains, the left arm almost paralyzed, pulse 130, very feeble, Skin cold as marble, countenance expressive of deep anxiety. At eight next morning in spite of stimulants, the symptoms were worse and continued to increase until 2.30 p.m. Pulse uncountable and scarcely to be felt. Vomited black vomit, a quart or more.
Soon after, reaction set in and the man gradually recovered. He had two copious stools like the black matter vomited and after that felt quite well. Jones notes that the pericardial region was the chief locus of attack. He considers the order of the occurrence of these symptoms of great importance.
COMPARE - (1) Lat-k. and other Arachnida. (2) Helo. - coldness. (3) Lach., Spig., Cimic., Cact., Kalm., Lycopus in angina pectoris. (4) Hirudo - non-coagulating hemorrhages. (5) the Aranea, Mygale, Theridion, Lat-h., Lat-k. spider venoms. (6) Triatema, Kissing bug - swelling with violent itching of fingers and toes. A smothering sensation and difficult breathing succeeded by fainting and rapid pulse. (7) Heloderma - Intense chill, going from the inside to the outside. Vertigo with tendency to fall backwards. Numbness of the limbs.
COMPARE - (8) Kalm. Palpitations, aggravated when lying on the left side, pulse slow. Lightning pains, suddenly changing place. (9) Cact. Feeling of constriction of the heart, as if a vice, spreading to the left arm, which feels numb. Hemorrhaging of black blood. (10) Spig. Violent contractions of the heart with oppression, anxiety. Feels soothed when lying on the right side with head raised.
SOURCES - Anshutz. Boericke. Clarke. Julian.
Worse change of weather better Hot bath
Worse Damp better Sitting quietly
Worse Before thunderstorm.
Worse Night
Worse Alcohol
Worse Exercise
Worse Slightest movement, exertion.
Dyspnoea (labored breathing) , almost going into apnoea (halting of breathing)--apnea) , slow labored respiration with an uncontrollable expiratory (breathing out/exhaling) grunt.
Difficulty in breathing due to muscle spasm.
Throat - dry and congested.
- Pain on swallowing.
Violent constrictive pericardial pain extending to axilla and down the left arm, forearm to the tips of the fingers; with numbness and paresis of the affected limb.
Angina Pectoris - cramping pain from chest to abdomen.
Pulse - Rapid
- Up to 130 beats/minute
- Weak, feeble, thready; almost impalpable.
Vascular hypotonia (or paradoxical hypertonia)
Hot flushes.
Swelling of ankles and puffiness of face.
Worse damp.
Worse before thunderstorm.
Worse night.
It has an action on the heart causing a typical angina pectoris picture accompanied by restlessness and prostration.
General chilliness especially icy coldness of the extremities.
Chilly but has flushes of heat.
Left sidedness.
Profuse perspiration.
Severe prostration but the patient cannot remain still due to great restlessness.
Extreme restlessness which does not allow the patient to sleep.
Pains - severe, constriction, cramping.
- come and go in waves, like labor pains.
Soreness of muscles especially to touch.
Hemorrhages - thin, watery blood.
Alcoholism.
Resource: Murphy’s Homeopathic Remedy Guide
And, here’s a sunset to make everything BETTER :-))

Copyright Eileen Nauman 2006
Here's 8.31.06 sunset on Thursday evening
In Spirit....