A tick is a visitor no-one wants to meet. Photo: Chalabala.
Pet parents are reminded to make sure their furry family members are protected from ticks ahead of a busy summer filled with coastal visits and time spent outdoors.
Moruya Animal Hospital veterinary nurse Brooke has seen first-hand pets needing treatment for tick paralysis from her and her colleagues throughout the year.
She says it’s an especially important reminder for people visiting the south-east, which is known for its high tick population.
“When I first started nursing about five years ago, there was a bit of an off-season with ticks … However, now it’s all year round,” she says.
“We saw, I believe, seven tick paralysis cases just in the month of July [to that] early August timeframe.”
Tick medication can be administered as an injection, in chewable or droplet form, and can be purchased from pet shops, the RSPCA store and vets.
Brooke says choosing a product that lasts for several months gives extra protection, especially for people living in areas where ticks are common.
“Human nature being human nature, people forget to give it on a certain day of every month … If they forget a couple of days, or they forget even months, that’s when we start to see breakthroughs of tick paralysis.”
Canberra-based veterinarian Dr Michael Hayward recommends ensuring the product contains isoxal isoxazolines, which are common in newer anti-tick medications.
“[Each brand of tick prevention medication] has a different ingredient, but the chemicals all belong to the same group and so they share very similar properties,” Dr Hayward says.
“I’m not aware of any strong evidence to show that any member, any one member of this current generation, is necessarily better than any other.”
(Alternative drugs might be suggested for pets that have concerns about seizures.)
Dr Hayward says prevention is the best path, meaning people should administer the medicine about three days before heading to places where ticks are prevalent.
RSPCA ACT CEO Michelle Robertson pushes back on the belief that tick protection should be considered optional.
“It’s terrible if we do see it, and it’s really heartbreaking for the family … In recent years, every summer, there have been incidents, whether it’s at the RSPCA or another vet in Canberra,” she says.
“It’s unusual, but it does occur, and we’d like to not see it occur at all.”
Ms Robertson says vets can tailor their advice and work with an owner to find the best option if they’re under financial stress.
RSPCA ACT CEO Michelle Robertson says many cases of tick paralysis are preventable. Photo: Michelle Kroll.
She says pet owners should speak with their vet about what their particular animal needs for tick prevention.
“There are always factors when it comes to health, breed, age and other conditions,” she says.
“As a general rule of thumb for your own health — and your pet’s health — don’t rely on Dr Google. Go and see somebody who can actually talk about your specific pet.”
Ms Robertson encourages people to carefully check their pets for ticks as another line of defence.
“It’s the additional step that can be taken if you go for bushwalks … or when people return from the South Coast.”
The need to watch for ticks is echoed by Dr Hayward, who says people should “search with their fingers, not with their eyes” while checking their pet’s coat carefully.
“If you find one tick, there’s an excellent chance there’s more than one,” he says.
“Redouble your efforts and keep searching — and keep it up for at least 10 days after returning from the coast … Having said that, if you find a tick on your pet’s body, you should be talking to a vet about whether the animal needs to be treated.”
Dr Hayward also urges pet owners to come forward with any questions about how they can best protect their pets before they become ill.
“We’d much rather be answering the questions than having to deal with the problems later.”
