The warmer weather has arrived, and so too has every pet owner’s worst nightmare – paralysis ticks.
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Berry Haven Veterinary Group vet Dr Mark Allison is out to ensure that “no dog dies from tick paralysis in the Shoalhaven”.
The surgery hosted a ‘paralysis tick season protection hour’ on Monday, October 16.
Local dog owners brought in their dogs for a free weigh in and nail clip.
Each dog owner also received a free pack of Bravecto, an oral chew that delivers three months flea and paralysis tick protection for dogs in a one tasty treat.
Dr Allison urged all pet owners to protect their pets against tick paralysis, a preventable disease.
“My number one message to dog owners this paralysis tick season is that no dog should die from tick paralysis,” he said.
“There are no excuses with the effective, long-lasting preventative treatments now available. Now is the time to talk to us about a paralysis tick treatment plan for your dog. Don’t wait until it’s too late.”
Dr Allison said with the long-lasting preventative treatments for paralysis ticks available to dog owners today, vets should be treating less tick paralysis cases, if any at all.
“My number one message to dog owners this paralysis tick season is that no dog should die from tick paralysis.
- Dr Mark Allison
“In the past, we were treating five to six paralysis tick cases a week, and in some instances, it would be two to three cases a day,” he said.
Despite our best efforts, there was an overall fatality rate of 10-15 per cent which is incredibly high.
“After hour call-outs and shaving dogs at 2am looking for a second or third tick were a common occurrence. Now with the long-lasting treatments available, dog owners can rest a lot easier, knowing their dog is protected against paralysis ticks.”
Dogs should be inspected daily for paralysis ticks and if a tick is found, it needs to be removed immediately with fingernails, tweezers or a tick-removing device.
After removal of the tick, if owners are unsure as to whether their dog is showing any symptoms of tick paralysis, they need to contact their local vet immediately.
Australia’s paralysis tick season runs from about September to March – the time when adult female ticks are most abundant but can vary region to region.
Unique to Australia’s eastern seaboard, the paralysis tick – Ixodes holocyclus – causes a huge problem to tackle locally every year and is the single most dangerous parasite for dogs on the eastern coast of Australia with just one tick capable of causing paralysis and even death.