CHAPTER 2
Stay calm! This is the most important thing you can do for your pet, as affected animals cope poorly with stress or overheating.
Contact us immediately and arrange to bring your pet in. Do not wait until the next morning. Remove any visible ticks with a hook or tweezers (and search for more ticks if one is discovered) and try to keep your pet relaxed, quiet and cool.
IMPORTANT: Do not offer your pet food or water. The toxins mean your pet cannot protect their airway when they swallow and the food or water may run straight into their lungs.
It is important to seek emergency care even if you remove the offending tick(s). The toxin typically continues to poison your dog or cat and timely treatment is still required.
How Veterinarians Diagnose Dog Tick Paralysis
Veterinarians diagnose tick paralysis based on clinical history and response to treatment. As it is a rapidly progressing neurologic disease, dogs or areas known for ticks and tick-borne diseases are examined for engorged ticks.
Routine bloodwork—including blood chemistry and complete blood counts—may rule out other causes or side effects of tick paralysis. Tick paralysis is not always routinely associated with blood work abnormalities.
Since tick paralysis progresses rapidly, it is important to seek veterinary care as soon as a dog shows symptoms. If you find a tick, remove it if you can do so safely. Make sure to save it and mark the site of attachment (with a permanent marker) so the veterinarian can shave and examine the site for further evidence of infection or tick mouthparts.
Tick removal is the primary treatment for tick paralysis. To prevent further toxin release, the mouthpiece is removed, and applying a tick preventative is essential for treatment, as it kills any other unseen ticks on your dog and prevents any future infestations.
Some dogs who have survived tick paralysis may have natural immunity, although how long the immunity lasts is unknown. Some veterinarians use blood from hyperimmune dogs, or anti-tick serum, to treat other dogs with tick paralysis. This transfusion can anecdotally help speed up recovery but should be thoroughly discussed with your veterinarian regarding its benefits and risks.
Supportive care for dogs recovering from tick paralysis is crucial. Fluids, nutritional support, and oxygen support may be needed. Some dogs may need a mechanical ventilator or breathing machine until they fully recover. Respiratory failure is common in dogs with tick paralysis. These dogs may not be able to urinate independently and will require urinary bladder management.
CHAPTER 1
Tick poisoning is a serious and potentially fatal condition requiring urgent veterinary attention.
Ticks attach to dogs and cats (and people), secreting a paralysing toxin as they feed. Left untreated, treatement almost always leads to respiratory or heart failure.
This Paralysis is caused by a specific tick, lxodes holocyclus, which is found along Australia’s east coast and is especially prevalent around bushland like Sydney’s North Shore.
This grey-greenish coloured tick can be as small as a pinhead and as large as a thumbnail. The bigger the tick, the longer it has been on your pet, ingesting the blood and becoming engorged. The neurotoxins in the saliva that it secretes into your pet’s bloodstream cause the symptoms.