16/09/2025
Urgent warning to all pet owners - we are currently seeing a lot of paralysis tick cases in our area!
Tick paralysis is a potentially deadly condition that can affect dogs and cats.
Many people assume that ticks are only present during summer months, but the high risk period can span from spring and autumn, with cases also regularly reported in winter.
Paralysis ticks will crawl onto dogs and cats and then attach by burrowing their mouth-parts into the skin. Although they prefer to attach to the front half of the dog or cat, they can attach anywhere, even in the ears, on the lips, or around the a**s.
After attaching, the tick feeds on the host’s blood, injecting small amounts of saliva into the dog or cat. The tick’s saliva contains a toxin that disrupts the connection between the nerves and the muscles of the body, causing weakness and paralysis. Not only does this affect muscles that help the animal stand and walk, but it can also affect muscles used for breathing and swallowing, leading to serious and life threatening conditions.
Please ensure that your dog or cat is up to date with their tick prevention. It is also recommended to perform daily tick searches on your pet and keep their coat short to make this easier.
If you find a tick on your pet. Remove it immediately. If your pet is showing any signs of tick paralysis
(weakness, collapse, vomiting or retching, change in sound of bark or meow, difficulty breathing), it is considered an emergency, seek veterinary treatment immediately.
Do not wait for signs to worsen and do not give food or water before seeking help. This is especially important for animals that are already having trouble swallowing.
