Illawarra vets have warned pet owners to be on the lookout for paralysis ticks.

Warmer temperatures have arrived and so have potentially deadly paralysis ticks, with vets already finding the parasites on local pets.

“We had a very sad case recently," said Dr Matthew O’Donnell of Northern Illawarra Veterinary Hospital.

Matt said a tick had been found on a dog but the dog seemed fine, so the owners decided against the recommended treatment.

“Sadly, the dog the next day was so sick they were forced to consider euthanasia because their dog was suffering.”

Tick paralysis is an "awful disease to treat", said Matt, who has been a vet for 30 years and helped establish the Northern Illawarra Veterinary Hospital seven years ago.

"We don’t want to see pets struggling to breathe," he said.

"And if you do find ticks, please get them [the pets] checked out and don’t assume everything is going to be fine just by removing the tick."

Matt said Illawarra residents should expect a lot of ticks this season.

“The previous summer affects the tick season the following year," he said. 

"So if you had a really hot summer, the ticks die and you get less ticks the next spring, or if the summer was mild or wet you get more ticks.”

Early treatment is vital

Dr Lara Vickery, of Companion Animal Veterinary Hospital Dapto, has also seen early cases of paralysis ticks.

“We usually see more ticks in warmer weather," she said. 

"We had a Jack Russell Terrier come earlier this year that had wobbly legs and we found the paralysis tick and gave the anti-serum and some sedation to help keep it calm.

“It is good that people are coming in and getting their pets checked, even if they have removed the tick themselves at home, for us to then confirm if it is a paralysis tick.

“Early treatment is very important and removing the tick early as you can, so it can’t release its toxin as much."

What is a Paralysis Tick?

The Australian Paralysis Tick, Ixodes holocyclus, is found along the east coast. It is greyish whitish and oval-shaped, with eight legs around its long mouthpiece. The ticks go through several life stages, with the most important being the adult one, when they can swell up to the size of a pea.

Paralysis ticks normally feed on native animals that are generally immune to them and don’t get sick, unlike some stock animals and pets.

Paralysis ticks generally attach to a animal's face, neck and ears. They release a toxin from their saliva that goes into an animal's bloodstream and causes paralysis. Pet owners may mistake a tick for a little bump or lump on your pet.

“They are fairly lethal – they only need to be attached for three days to start seeing signs of paralysis in your pet,” Lara said.

Matt has also seen many cases of how lethal ticks can be.

“As far as 10 years ago, we had lots of dogs and cats getting really sick and sometimes dying, if we don’t get to them quick enough, due to paralysis of their airways," he said.

“It [the toxin] paralyses the muscles used for breathing and the throat, so it is a very cruel disease, basically inflicting really severe respiratory distress and pets can’t breathe.

"It’s really awful to watch and a lot of animals end up on respirators or will die.”

Signs of Tick Paralysis

• Wobbly, weakness in back legs
• Coughing
• Gagging
• Breathing issues
• Difficulty swallowing
• Vomiting
• Paralysis (unable to stand)
• Laboured breathing

Treatment of Tick Paralysis

An anti-tick serum is given to pets through an IV fluid that helps stop the toxin causing further paralysis. Usually pets need to stay in hospital to recover and for the toxin to wear off.

“It is important to help reduce the stress of pets while they are recovering as their respiratory system is already affected by paralysis,” Lara said.

Prevention is key

There are many tick prevention treatments to protect your pets from tick paralysis, including chews, topical applications such as spot-ons, and even an annual injection.

Lara recommends NexGard Spectra, Bravecto Plus and Revolution Plus for cats, and NexGard Spectra and Simparica for dogs.

She also recommends checking your dog daily after walks, even if you don’t go into bushland.

“Even local parks or anytime you go for walks around bushland or long grass, it’s important to daily check your dog for ticks.”