Here at Mcdowall Vets, we have a love/hate relationship with springtime! Warm, sunny days are always welcome, but it also means the beginning of tick season. Brisbane weather is perfect for ticks and we are already seeing cases of tick paralysis in our pets.
Paralysis Ticks tend to travel around on marsupials such as possums and bandicoots and are therefore very common even in our suburban neighbourhoods. Our native animals have a natural immunity to the neurotoxin released by ticks so they are unaffected. The ticks will hitch a ride and then drop off their hosts, which are picked up by our pets in our yards or on their regular walks.
What does a paralysis tick look like?
Paralysis ticks can be identified by their grey body and legs close to the head. Their legs are the feature which best distinguishes them from other ticks that occur in the same areas. Paralysis ticks have one pair of brown legs closest to their head, then two pairs of white legs and then one pair of brown legs closest to the body.
What are the signs to watch for?
After attaching, the tick feeds on the host’s blood, injecting small amounts of saliva into the dog or cat in the process. The tick’s saliva contains a toxin that causes the connection between the nerves and muscles throughout the body to become disrupted. This causes weakness and ultimately paralysis.
This is not just limited to the muscles involved in standing and walking, but also to internal muscles such as those involved in breathing and swallowing, potentially causing serious compromise to breathing and can be fatal.
The symptoms of tick paralysis include;
● Change in pet’s voice
● Laboured breathing
● Gagging, retching or vomiting
● Coughing
● Trouble standing or walking, wobbly on their back legs
If your pet shows any of these symptoms, or if you find a tick on your pet, please call us immediately. Even if a tick is removed, the toxin can still cause symptoms, so it is always best to get your pet to us as soon as possible for a check. (Please bring the removed tick with you so that we can identify if it is a paralysis tick or not.)
Once with us, a tick search will be performed to find and remove all ticks. If your pet has very long or thick fur, a full body shave may be necessary to confirm that all ticks have been found. An anti-tick serum is administered to counteract the neurotoxins that the tick has secreted. Your pet will be monitored after the administration of the anti-serum to ensure no dangerous reactions occur. In severe cases, pet’s may require oxygen therapy. Depending on the severity of the case, your pet may be hospitalised for several days and may need to go to an emergency vet for constant monitoring.
Tick paralysis is a very unpredictable disease with severe effects on the heart and respiratory muscles. After being discharged from hospital, exercise restriction will be required for 4-6 weeks, as ongoing muscle, heart and lung damage can occur. Unfortunately not all animals survive, even with treatment.
Can tick paralysis be prevented?
Like anything, tick paralysis is easier to prevent than to treat. There are a few things you can do to reduce the likelihood of tick paralysis in your pet. Try to avoid bushy and grassy areas where ticks tend to thrive. Carry out a daily tick search on your pets. Systematically work your way through your pet’s coat with your hands, feeling for unusual lumps, bumps or sores. Always check any folds in the neck and underneath their collar. Popular spots for ticks include, between the toes, in the ears, on the face, in the groin and underarm area and around the anus. Check your pets especially thoroughly if you have been walking out in the bush or if you have taken them camping for a few days. If you find one, don’t stop searching! If there is one, there could definitely be others.
You will also need to use a tick prevention product. At McDowall Vets we highly recommend Nexgard or Bravecto for dogs. It is a chewable tablet given monthly or 3 monthly respectively. For cats, we recommend Bravecto Spot-On or Revolution Plus which will prevent both fleas and ticks. If you have any concerns regarding your pet and their tick prevention, please give us a ring on 33536999 and we will be able to help you. We hate seeing the affects of tick paralysis on our patients, so would love to get through spring and summer with seeing less of these cases!
