1. DAILY SEARCHING

It is recommended that all pets be searched daily for ticks regardless of whether they are on a tick preventative or not.

NO tick preventative treatment is 100% effective at controlling paralysis ticks.

Searching should be done of the whole body including under the tail inside of ears & between the toes. Special attention should be paid from the shoulders forward, especially the head & neck area. More than 90% of paralysis ticks are found in this region. Clipping of long haired dogs during the tick season also aids in searching.

2.TYPES OF PREVENTATIVE TREATMENTS AVAILABLE

DIPS & RINSES – DOGS ONLY

Tick dips must be applied once weekly to dogs only. Eg. “Nucidol”

Apply to a dry coat & soak the hair down to the skin.

Dips & rinses are not reliable where the dog is a frequent swimmer.

These dips are usually organophosphate chemicals & should be handled with care. Make sure you read the safety directions carefully before using them on your dog. NEVER use them on cats or puppies.

TICK COLLARS – DOGS ONLY

Preventic & Kiltix are 2 brands of tick collars available for dogs.

Collars need to be replaced every 6 weeks. If the dog swims frequently they will not last this long.

PROBAN TABLETS

This product can be used for dogs & cats, but use for tick prevention in cats is “off label”. One tablet per 10kg bodyweight needs to be given orally every 2nd day. This product is also an organophosphate and should NOT be used with dips, rinses & some brands of tick collars as poisoning may occur.

TOPICAL “SPOT ON” PRODUCTS

Frontline – Must be applied to the back of the neck fortnightly for tick control. This product can be used on dogs & cats, but again the use of it to control paralysis ticks on cats is “off label”.

Frontline is also available in a spray which is applied to the entire animal as a number of sprays per kg of bodyweight.

Frequent swimming/shampooing may also alter the effectiveness of this product.

Advantix - This is the newest paralysis tick control product on the market. As with frontline it must be applied fortnightly for effective tick control. This product is for dogs only.

ADVANTIX MUST NEVER BE USED ON CATS – IT WILL KILL THEM!!

WHAT TO DO IF YOU FIND A TICK ON YOUR PET

If you do find a tick on your pet and they are not showing any symptoms immediately remove the tick with your fingernails or tweezers. DO NOT apply kerosene, metho etc first as this will only irritate the tick and may make it inject more toxin.(It does not matter if the mouth parts break off the tick). Please note: An animal can continue to develop symptoms after the tick is removed so keep your pet cool, strictly confined & observe closely for the next 24 hours. Contact the vet if signs develop.

Clinical Signs: Signs of tick paralysis are not usually seen until a tick has been attached to the pet for 2 to 3days. Weak or wobbly hind legs is often first noticed. This can progress over 12-48 hours to severe paralysis if the tick is not removed. Even after the tick has been removed paralysis can worsen unless antiserum is given.

Other signs commonly noted are: Change in voice(due to laryngeal paralysis), lethargy, vomiting(not seen in all cases but may be the first sign in some), abnormal breathing(especially in cats).

IF ANY OF THESE SIGNS ARE PRESENT THE ANIMAL MUST NOT BE GIVEN ANYTHING TO EAT OR DRINK, AND MUST BE KEPT COOL & QUIET. YOUR VET SHOULD BE PHONED IMMEDIATELY FOR FURTHER ADVICE.

More paralysis tick information