Paralysis Tick: Not Something Most Bayside Pet Owners Think About

One of the things we love most about our clients here at Middle Brighton Vet is that pets are rarely left behind.

Whether it is a summer holiday, a long weekend away, Christmas with family, a camping trip or a few days on the coast, our patients are often right there alongside the people who love them. Because so many of our clients travel with their pets, there is one seasonal topic that is worth raising every year.

Why are we talking about this now?

Paralysis tick season generally runs from September through to March, which happens to be the same time many of us are getting out and about with our pets.

While most people associate paralysis ticks with Queensland and northern New South Wales, they are found throughout parts of Australia's eastern coastline, including areas of eastern Victoria. For many Bayside pets, the risk is not where they live but where they travel.

Before you leave, ask yourself one simple question.

Could my pet encounter a paralysis tick where we are going?

A beach holiday, bushwalk, coastal caravan park, camping trip or visit to family and friends can all increase the chance of exposure. And it is not always about where your pet goes. Last year we treated a dog here in Brighton that picked up a paralysis tick from a returning family member's camping gear. The tick had hitched a ride home and found the dog without either of them going anywhere near tick country. If you have visitors coming from interstate, particularly those returning from camping or bushwalking, it is worth being aware that ticks can travel that way too.

If there is any possibility of exposure, it is worth having a conversation with us before things get complicated. Tick prevention is always easier to organise before a holiday than after one.

When you get home, do not assume the risk is over.

Even if your pet has been on tick prevention, we still recommend keeping paralysis ticks in mind after returning from a higher risk area. Modern preventatives are excellent and have dramatically reduced the number of cases we see, but no product is 100% effective in every situation.

For that reason, we recommend continuing to check your pet and monitoring for any unusual changes after you return home.

Where to look: Spend a little extra time around the ears, face and neck, under the front legs, and between the toes. These are common hiding spots and ticks can be surprisingly easy to miss.

What should you watch for?

Sometimes the signs are obvious, but often they are not. A pet may simply seem quieter than normal, a little wobbly, reluctant to jump, or develop an unusual cough or retch. They might just seem a bit off. Most of the time these signs have another cause, but if you have recently travelled through a tick-prone area, or had visitors who have, they should not be ignored.

We are here to help.

At Middle Brighton Vet, we want your pet joining you on holidays, beach walks, camping trips and family adventures for many years to come.

If you are unsure whether your destination is a paralysis tick risk area, wondering which preventative suits your pet, or have just returned home and noticed something that concerns you, please get in touch. We would much rather answer a question early than have you worrying at home.

For dogs travelling to higher risk areas, our first recommendation is NexGard Spectra, given monthly. It is important to keep it up consistently as it does not provide retrospective protection if a dose has been missed. If your dog is not reliably eating tablets, Bravecto Spot-On or Bravecto Injection are good alternatives worth discussing with us.

Many of these products can also be ordered through our online store.

Because the best holidays are the ones where everyone comes home safely, including the four-legged family members.