12/09/2024
When was your pet's last tick prevention?🤔🐶🐱
Did you know there is a tick prevention that lasts all year long?! If you struggle to remember when to give your pet their lifesaving tick preventatives chat to your vet about the once-a-year injection to see if this is a suitable option for your beloved pets.
Sadly, we are seeing more and more tick cases come into our hospital. Cases of tick paralysis in dogs and cats have a predictable spike during spring and summer but with changes in weather patterns, these deadly parasites are increasingly common all year round.
🚨Getting familiar with the signs of paralysis might just save your pet's life!
Signs of tick paralysis include:
▪ Wobbliness and lack of muscle control, typically starting with the back legs before spreading to the rest of the body.
▪ Increased breathing rate or effort.
▪ Panting, hacking and retching.
▪ Drooling, regurgitating and vomiting because of weakness in the throat and oesophagus.
▪ Different sounding bark/meow because of weakness in the vocal cords.
▪ In severe cases, breathing muscles become paralysed so the chest may move less and the abdomen move more to try to compensate.
▪ Gums only appear blue or grey as oxygen levels are almost completely depleted but can still be dangerously low while gums are pink.
Learn more about checking your pets for ticks and what to do if you find a tick via the following link: https://uqvets.com.au/small-animal-hospital/animal-care-and-advice/cat-and-dog-tick-paralysis
In the long run, prevention saves you more than just money, it saves putting yourself and your pet through what can be an intensive medical ordeal and recovery period with some pets dying despite aggressive treatment.
Prevention is the best first step we can take for our pets. If you find a tick on your pet and are unsure when their last preventative was given, the safest thing to do is contact your vet🐾💜🩺
