Protect your pet from ticks

By Kylie Mackay, Northshore Pet Resort

Veterinarians in the Moreton Bay Region are reporting an increase in the number of tick paralysis cases presenting at clinics.

Although ticks can occur all year, peak tick season generally starts around September when the weather starts to warm up.

Ticks are a common problem in Australia, particularly among dogs, and the Paralysis Tick is particularly dangerous to our furry friends.

Tick paralysis is a very serious condition and can be fatal if not treated urgently. Paralysis is caused by a toxin, which is injected into the blood stream of the pet from the saliva of the tick attached to them.

Common Symptoms of tick paralysis:

• Wobbliness in the back legs, or paralysis in the back legs

• Gagging or vomiting

• Difficulty breathing

• A change in the sound of voice

Protect your pets

The start of spring is a timely reminder to ensure you are using tick prevention. These should be used all year, even if you have never seen a tick on your pet before. Ticks can appear at any time and are very common on Australia’s east coast.

Take the time to talk to your vet about the best method of tick prevention for your family. There are a wide variety of different products to suit every situation.

For long haired pets, consider shortening or clipping your pet’s coat for the summer months. This will make it easier to identify ticks on their coat and result in faster treatment.

Check your Pets

During the summer months, check your pet daily all over their body. Petting and grooming them will help you see ticks on their skin, and carefully check the areas around their head, neck, under the arms. Don’t forget to look under their collar too.

If you see any signs of tick paralysis in your pet, or you find a tick on them in combination with symptoms, see your vet. Remember, if you find one tick, there could be more.