Ticks on pets occur commonly in Australia and paralysis ticks are perhaps the greatest threats among them. Paralysis tick season usually starts from September in several parts of Australia. Therefore, it’s essential to protect your dog from these small monsters with a proper tick treatment as soon as spring arrives and the best thing to do it is to consult your Ku Ring Gai vet like Gordon Vet.

                                           Image Courtesy: abc.net.au

What are Ticks?

Usually ticks and fleas are mentioned together. However, ticks are more in close relation with spiders (arachnids) than with fleas.

Ticks are parasites meaning they have to suck blood from their ‘host’ animal so as to remain alive, thrive and reproduce.

Their life contains 4 different stages, viz. egg, larva, nymph and adult. All these barring the egg should find a host to bite and suck a blood meal.

More about Ticks

• Warm and humid conditions are preferable for ticks.
• Adult ticks are the most active and occur in abundance during spring and summer (tick season). However, they occur throughout the year, especially in tropical and subtropical areas.
• They occur most commonly in thick bush and long grass, and in pet beds and kennels.
• Ticks cause damage to pets’ skin when they bite, forming wounds prone to secondary bacterial infection.

Knowing More about Paralysis Ticks

Native Australian animals in wild areas are natural hosts to the paralysis ticks. However, other non-native animals like dogs and even humans commonly become their hosts. Paralysis ticks are the most worrying tick species for pet parents as well as vets in Australia, since just one bite of this nasty little parasites can kill a dog.

In Australia, paralysis ticks occur in two species – the Australian paralysis tick and the Tasmanian paralysis tick

What is So Worrisome about Paralysis Tick?

Paralysis ticks are capable of injecting a neurotoxin in the blood flow of their host while sucking their blood. This toxin gives rise to progressive muscular paralysis all through the body.

Other Types of Dangerous Ticks in Australia

Brown Dog Ticks

• Brown dog ticks live most commonly in their host’s environment (e.g. dog house, inside your home, backyard)
• They are non-venomous but can give rise to irritation and discomfort and anaemia because of blood loss from infestations on a large scale
• They can also transmit blood-borne diseases like tick fever with their bites

Image Courtesy: noten-animals.com

Bush Ticks

• Bush ticks occur more commonly on cattle; but they can also bite and feed on dogs as well as other animals
• Bush ticks rarely give rise to anaemia or a local bacterial infection at the spot of attachment

Be Ready Always

What should You Do upon Finding a Tick?

Firstly, you stay calm and make your pet calm too if you are not sure about which tick species it is

Remove the tick at once and look for more. While removing the tick, use your index finger and thumb or tweezers placed close to the skin and twist and pull to remove the tick.

Place the tick in a zip lock bag or a plastic container for identification by your vet.

Immediately contact your vet, especially if you think your pet has been bitten by a paralysis tick or is showing symptoms of tick paralysis. You should immediately seek paralysis tick treatment for dogs from Gordon Vet to save your dog’s life.

Precautions to Take before Going on a Holiday

If you are going to travel in an area where paralysis tick is prevalent, protect your dog using a tick prevention product and look for ticks on him every day. If you are not sure if your holiday destination is a tick area, consult your vet.