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31st Oct 2007
What is a paralysis tick? Ticks are bloodsucking ectoparasites, in other words parasites that live on the exterior of an animal. There are around 70 species of tick in Australia. The most common species along the east coast of Australia are the bush tick, the cattle tick and the paralysis tick
The paralysis tick, Ixodes holocyclus, lives on native animals such as bandicoots and wallabies. Generally the native hosts are unaffected by the ticks but the paralysis tick regularly attach to animals, most commonly found on digs on the east coast of Australia.
The paralysis tick can vary in size. It lighter in colour than the cattle tick and bush tick has longer and stronger legs, and larger mouthparts. The male is a flat, oval, yellowish-brown tick. The unfed female is also yellowish in colour, but, as it engorges on blood, becomes grayish with a brown line (in the shape of a shield) encircling the body.
A fully engorged female tick may be 15 – 18 mm in length. Its legs are in a V shaped line from its snout down the sides of its body.
IF YOU FIND A TICK ON YOUR DOG, TAKE THE TICK TO A VETERINARY CLINIC TO IDENTIFY IT.
Paralysis ticks are a three-host tick. This means that the tick must attach and feed on a new host (native animals or dogs) on three separate occasions in order to complete its lifecycle.
The paralysis tick, Ixodes holocyclus, lives in a narrow coastal band on the east coast of Australia in an area stretching from Lakes Entrance, Victoria, to the Cape York Peninsula, Queensland.
Paralysis ticks are usually found in bushland or scrubby areas, particularly around long grass and moist areas. They can also be picked up in open areas and urban areas with bushland setting
Paralysis ticks are most active from August through to December. They can be found any time of the year. Ticks need humidity and mild weather to develop and will not survive and breed in cold and dry climates.
The adult Paralysis ticks climbs onto vegetation and when an animal passes, waves its forelegs (known as questing) until it makes contact with host.
Only the female tick will attach to the host while the male tick wanders over the animal looking for a female to mate with. Once attached, the female tick begins to feed by burrowing its mouthparts into the dog’s skin and sucking blood. After attachment and feeding it starts producing a very potent toxin contained within its saliva that affects the dog’s central nervous system and cause progressive paralysis. The tick continues to inject increasing amounts of toxin into the dog with peak amount of toxin injected on the 5th and 6th days.
Tick paralysis can be successfully treated provided it is recognized early and veterinary assistance is south quickly. Treatment usually involves administration of antiserum and other supportive care. It may be expensive, as dogs have to be admitted to the vet clinic for a number of days of intensive care to recover.
Each year more than one thousand dogs die following tick poisoning in Australia and 5% of tick victims die despite treatment.
o Weakness in the back legs, progressing to the front legs
o Appearing ‘wobbly’ and uncoordinated
o Coughing
o Change in tone of bark
o A grunt on breathing
o Difficulty swallowing
o Drooling
o Vomiting
Checking your dog daily for ticks can help prevent tick paralysis because the tick usually has to be on the dog for more than two days to cause paralysis. If you live in a tick-infested area, you should examine your dog for ticks on a daily basis. If you have taken your dog for a walk through the bush or have been camping with your dog then examining it when you back home is also a good idea.
Carefully feel all over your dog paying particular attention to the head and neck, inside the ears, mouth, between the toes and under the front legs, and around the anal and genital areas.
The majority of tick (78%) are found forward of the front legs.
Ticks are easier to find if you rub your fingertips through your pet’s coat rather than solely trying to look for them.
What to do if you find a tick on your dog
Contact your veterinarian immediately for advice. It is possible to worsen the dog’s condition by removing the tick incorrectly.
Don’t try to remove ticks by brushing as this may leave the tick’s head and mouthparts attached causing an infection at the attachment site.
It is recommended that you manually remove the tick using a pair of tweezers. Grasp the tick by the head and mouthparts where they enter the skin and rotate the tick anti-clockwise. DO NOT grasp the tick by the body and do not pull it directly out without rotation. You may prefer to use a commercial ‘hook’, specifically designed to aid in the manual removal of ticks.
Take your dog to your veterinarian. This is vital as the residue of the tick’s toxin under the skin can cause problems. Although the tick has been killed or removed, the animal can still become paralysed from its residue of toxin. The toxin is slowly absorbed and may cause paralysis hours or even a day or two later. It is important to remove all ticks – a 4mm long engorged tick may be as toxic as a 10mm long engorged tick.
