Do wolfdogs bite

How to Treat a Dog with a Wolf Spider Bite

How to Treat a Dog with a Wolf Spider Bite

There are over 200 species of wolf spiders in the United States and your dog is bound to encounter at least one spider in his lifetime. Fortunately, wolf spiders are on the safer end of the venom spectrum and arent considered deadly. That said, wolf spider bites may still harm your dog in other ways so its important to take a few immediate steps to keep your dog safe.

How your dog reacts to a wolf spider bite will depend on where he gets bitten. Generally speaking, wolf spiders dont tend to bite unless they get provoked. For dogs, their curiosity might get the best of them and they may get too close to the spider. The dog may end up getting bit on the nose or paw.

The dog may start to excessively lick the bitten area or they may even limp if they got bitten in the paws. A red bump might also appear on the bitten area. Despite not being considered poisonous, it could still harm your dog if they happen to be allergic to the venom.

Our recommendation would be to call the vet for the appropriate next steps. The vet may request you to just monitor the dog closely over the next couple of hours, or he may ask you to come in if the dog starts to exhibit some concerning symptoms. Many species of wolf spiders are quite small so it doesnt hurt to double-check with the vet.

Disclaimer: The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional veterinarian advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of a veterinarian when in doubt.

Published:

01/29/2023

by

My Pet Child Team

|

Dog Health

How Strong Is a Wolfs Bite Force? (PSI Measure & How It Compares to a Dog)

All animals can bite, even those without teeth. While toothless bites arent too concerning, when we talk about powerful animals with big teeth, like wolves, we should worry about the force of their bites. If you were bitten by a wolf, you can bet that it would hurt, but how much? Could a wolf bite kill you? It all comes down to the bite force PSI that the wolf has.

When we talk about the strength of an animals bite, we refer to it as bite force PSI. PSI is the measurement of pressure. The force of pressure in pounds per square inch is the PSI of an animals bite force. The higher the PSI, the more strength the bite has overall. So, how strong is a wolfs bite force, and how does it compare to a dogs bite force PSI?

We can gauge the bite force of an average wolf, but its bite force compared to that of a dog depends on what kind of dog the wolf is being compared to. Different breeds have a wide variety of different bite force PSIs to consider. Here is what you should know about the strength of a wolfs bite force and how it compares to different types of dogs in existence today.

The Bite Force PSI of the Wolf

Wolves have a bite force PSI of about 406, which is thought to be one of the strongest in the dog kingdom. However, this bite force PSI was measured using a defensive bite. If the wolf were going on the offensive, its bite force PSI would likely be much higher. But there have been no official studies or surveys done to determine the average bite force PSI of a wolf.

Since there is no official chart to rely on, we could assume that the wolf has a strong bite force PSI that rivals that of any dog. However, is this really the case? Many surveys have been conducted that measure the bite force PSI of various dog breeds, so we can compare the PSI of 406 to that of other dogs and get an idea of the overall differences.

The Wolfs Bite Force PSI Compared to Various Dog Breeds

There are many different dog breeds in existence, all of which have different bite force PSIs. Some bites, like those of a Chihuahua, are not impressive enough to note.

However, there are a few breeds with impressively strong bite force PSIs to take note of:

• Cane Corso 550 PSI
• German Shepherd 238 PSI
• Pitbull 235 PSI
• Doberman Pinscher 245 PSI
• Great Dane 247 PSI
• English Mastiff 556 PSI
• Rottweiler 328 PSI
• Akita Inu 375 PSI
• American Bulldog 300 PSI
• Siberian Husky 325 PSI

The bite force PSI of dogs can greatly vary, even within the same breeds. Therefore, these PSI points should be used only as guides.

In Conclusion

The wolf is one tough animal, no matter their bite force PSI. They can take on even the most formidable enemies with stronger PSIs than they have. We humans are certainly no match for the bite of a wolf. However, it seems that many of the dog breeds that we live with have stronger bite force PSIs than that of the wolf, which makes them just as dangerous, if not more so, when it comes to fighting.

Featured Image Credit: christels, Pixabay

Wolf Bite Force (How Strong Are Wolves Bites?)

Wolves have a bite force of approximately 405 PSI, but they can reach upwards of 1500 if in danger. Most wolf bites will be between 400-600 PSI.

When wolves attack their prey, theyll usually bite the shoulders and flanks. Theyll use their crushing bite to injure large animals until theyre weak enough to be killed.

When it comes to smaller prey, theyll bite and shake them to break their neck.

Read more about how wolves bite, when they use it, and why their bites are so strong.

What Is a Wolfs, Bite Force?

Wolves have a bite force of approximately 405 PSI, which is much stronger than both coyotes and dogs. However, wolves can reach upwards of 1500 when theyre threatened, as adrenaline surges through their body.

This was tested by National Geographic:

Now, this is only one recording. Other recordings have previously shown bites even stronger, upwards of 600 pounds. Its important to note, that these recordings were made while the wolf wasnt stressed or threatened.

Dogs with strong jaws will bite with around 300 PSI of force, measuring about 25% less than the wolf.

When animals get their teeth around smaller prey, they will break the animals neck or back shaking it vigorously.

Wolves are hunters, using their forceful bites to injure large animals to the point where theyre too weak to defend themselves. Sometimes their prey dies from exhaustion or blood loss.

Why Are Wolves Bites So Strong?

Wolves are known to have one of the most powerful bites in nature. Theyre carnivores, meaning they eat animals. They need a powerful bite to bite through the flesh and bone of their prey.

Wolves sharp teeth and strong jaw muscles have evolved to enable the wolf to easily bite through the body of their prey.

The structure of a wolfs jar also makes a difference. Their specialized jaw muscles are incredibly strong, and their lower jaw is less rigid than what we see in other animals.

This allows the wolf to apply extra force with its lower jaw.

Wolves also have very strong neck muscles, helping them bite down with extra force.

Related: How Do Wolves Hunt?

Does a Wolf Have a Stronger Bite Than a Dog?

Yes, wolves have a stronger bite than dogs. There are several reasons for this.

1. First of all, dogs dont need strong jaws. Domestic dogs are served food, hence they dont need to hunt and kill prey. Their bodies have adapted to this, lowering the strength of their bite.
2. Second, dogs have smaller jaws. The smaller jaws and jaw muscles simply result in a less powerful bite.
3. Domesticated dogs also eat softer food. As said, they dont need to chew through bones but are often served dry dog food, which is easily chewable.

What Is the Strongest Bite Force of a Wolf?

The strongest bite force of a wolf is estimated to be between 1,500 PSI and 1,800 PSI, but this hasnt been recorded yet.

The normal bite force is approximately 400 PSI.

A wolf can also use its muscles and sharp teeth to rip through flesh with ease. This makes a wolfs bite its most dangerous tool.

Related: Strongest Bite Force in the World

Which Dog Has the Highest Bite Force?

Dogs cant, typically, bite with as much force as a wolf, though some dogs have remarkable bites.

The top 5 dogs, in terms of bite force, are:

• Mastiff: 552 PSI
• Rottweiler: 328 PSI
• American Bulldog: 305 PSI
• German Sheperd: 238 PSI
• Pitbull: 235

These are the strongest bites recorded by the species. Compared to the wolf at around 660 PSI (strongest ever recorded), theyre not close, yet still impressive.

How Damaging Is a Wolf Bite?

The wolf has one of the most powerful bites in the animal kingdom and is stronger than any dog. Their strong jaws pose a serious threat to their prey.

Wolf bites are extremely damaging because their jaws are designed for ripping and tearing flesh.

A wolf will generally target the shoulder or flanks when attacking prey, as they aim to tire out their prey.

While wolves generally dont attack humans, Injuries from wolf bites would be severe or even life-threatening.

An individual attacked by wolves would require stitches, and most likely surgery on top of that (depending on how deep lacerations were sustained by the wolf bite).

Wolf bites can also lead to wolf rabies, a disease that is transferred from animals to humans through saliva and affects the brain and spinal cord.

If left untreated wolf rabies will almost always result in death within ten days of contracting it. There are few reported cases where people with wolf rabies have survived after 10 days without medical intervention. [1]

Related: Are Wolves Dangerous?

Can Wolves Bite Through Bone?

Wolves can easily bite through bone. As theyre carnivores, they need to be able to bite through flesh and bone when hunting.

When hunting smaller prey, they may even break the neck of the animal with its crushing bite.

A wolfs teeth are longer than those of other animals such as dogs because they need them for their hunting style. Wolves also have large molars in the back part of their mouth which helps with chewing and tearing off meat from their prey.

Wolves have 42 teeth:

• 20 teeth in the upper jaw (six incisors, two canines, eight premolars, and four molars)
• 22 teeth in the lower jaw (six incisors, two canines, eight premolars, and six molars).

Related: Do wolves eat bones?

Physical Strength of Wolves

While wolves have an incredible bite force, theyre not as strong physically as you may think.

The strength of wolves comes with the pack. While a pack of wolves can take down almost any animal they encounter (assuming there are enough wolves), single wolves arent very strong.

There have been several cases of humans besting wolves in a 1-on-1 fight, bare-handed.

One example is a man from Kazakhstan, who killed a wolf with his bare hands.

Now, this is a general description, and may not count for all wolves or people. Some wolves are much stronger than others, and the same goes for people.

A human would most likely struggle against a large gray wolf.

One major advantage wolves have over other animals is their stamina. They can run for extended periods of time. They use this ability to exhaust their prey, having an animal run until it has exhausted itself.

Wolf Bite Compared to Crocodiles

When wolf teeth are compared to the bite force of crocodiles, wolf bites come in second place.

The average wolf has a jaw pressure of 400 PSI while crocodile jaws exert up to 3,700 PSI. A crocodile bites down with 900% more force. [3]

Crocodiles have the strongest bite in the entire animal kingdom, famous for their death roll, where they bite down on an animal, rolling to break their bones.

Some people claim the great white shark has an even stronger bite at 4,000 PSI, while others claim that the crocodile is on top.

Conclusion

Wolves have a remarkable bite force with an average of around 400 PSI. When threatened, its estimated to be able to reach upwards of 1,500 PSI.

Wolves are carnivores, which means they eat meat. Because of this, theyve adapted and evolved an incredible bite, with sharp teeth, that can tear through the bone and flesh of their prey.

They have specialized jaw muscles, used for biting. Combined with strong neck muscles, and their many sharp teeth, they can easily bite through animals.