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The
Paralysis Tick
In
many areas of Australia the onset of Spring means and increase in the
incidence of certain conditions and parasites in our pets. One of the
most concerning of these is the paralysis tick (Ixodes
holocyclus). It is quite amazing how much such a small creature can
cause to your pet. Current research is improving our understanding of
what is happening during a case of tick paralysis and hence treatment is
better, but of course we would still prefer to prevent tick paralysis
than treat it.
The
Tick
The
Paralysis or Scrub Tick is found along the Eastern coast of Australia
and lives on Bandicoots and Possums causing them no problems as they
have acquired immunity. The tick attaches to dogs and cats as they brush
past foliage in bush land, near creeks or even in your own back yard.
They are particularly evident on warm days when it has rained
previously. Once they attach at a suitable site they begin to engorge
with blood and after adequate feeding will start injecting a potent
toxin. The season is August through until February but they have been
found nearly all year round.
Top
 What
do they look like?
There
a few species of tick which you may find on your pet. Those that aren't the
paralysis tick are quite harmless. Being an arachnid all ticks have mouthparts
and eight legs when adults. Their size can vary from pinhead size when larval up
to thumbnail size when fully engorged. The paralysis tick varies in appearance
from the other in that it has a light greyish coloured body, it's legs all
originate from the front of it's body and the 1st and 4th
legs on each side are often brown. After a paralysis has been attached for a
while there may be a skin reaction which can last for some time after the tick
is gone.
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The
Problem
When
the paralysis tick attaches to your dog it produces a toxin which it
injects into the host while it is feeding. This toxin binds to nerves
where they join the muscles and inhibit the action of the muscles
leading to paralysis. The muscles most commonly affected are the muscles
around the throat which control swallowing, the hind limb muscles and
the diaphragm. The oesophagus (food pipe) is also effected in this way
meaning that swallowing is difficult and fluids (eg saliva) can pool in
the oesophagus causing gagging.
It
is now known that part of the tick poison has a direct effect on the
heart muscle causing a type of heart failure which leads to a build up
of fluid in the lungs.
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Clinical
Signs
After
a tick has been attached for a few days the following signs may be seen:
Contact
your Vet if displays any of the above signs - early treatment is much
more successful and cheaper than a 'wait & see and starting
treatment later.
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Treatment
The
treatment of tick paralysis varies from case to case. One case can be
very different from the next depending on which organ systems are mostly
effected. Each case must
be assessed to see what is the main effect of the tick in this
particular case. This can only be determined by your Veterinarian.
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What
to do if you find a tick on your pet?
This
has been an area of great debate over the years. The latest thinking is
to remove it quickly with a pair of tweezers - go as close to the skin
as you can and twist (either way). Once removed there is often a wound
left behind which can persist as a lump for weeks. Often pieces of the
mouth parts of the tick may be left behind - these are harmless, also
the paralysis tick does not burrow it's head into the skin as is often
said.
It
was once thought the tick needed to be dead before you could remove it
safely, but this is not the case. If you aren't confident you can remove
the tick quickly and cleanly, then you certainly can kill it first
before removing it. To kill it you
can apply directly to the tick any pyrerthrin based solution or
derivatives of this [eg Pyrethrin rinse (Fido's), permethrin rinse (Permoxin),
even
the knockdown fly sprays are suitable (not surface sprays)]. You
can also apply a drop of Frontline directly to the tick. When the tick
begins to shrivel it is usually dead
Importantly,
don't apply anything irritant eg petrol, kerosene, turps etc these may
stimulate the tick before killing it and cause skin damage to your
pet.
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Prevention
The
most important thing to be aware of is that nothing is 100% effective
against the paralysis tick. Some products are very effective but all
products registered for the control of paralysis tick still recommend
daily searching for ticks.
Spot-Ons:
Frontline PLUS TopSpot - when applied every 2 weeks Frontline will
help to prevent tick paralysis by killing the tick or rendering it
unable to do harm. [*only for dogs]
Advantix - when applied every 2 weeks
Advantix will
help to prevent tick paralysis by killing the tick or rendering it
unable to do harm.
Collars
Tick Collars work by slowly releasing an active ingredient which spreads
over the coat. The tick collars (Preventic, Kiltix) we have at VetStop
can be used with other forms of tick control for an extra level of
prevention if you wish.
Oral
Medication
Proban - been around for years and still seems to be an effective
method of tick control. Registered for tick prevention in dogs, it is
given every second day. Proban can be used in conjunction with Frontline
if you want to be even surer of tick control
Rinses
Permoxin contains permethrin which, when applied according to the
directions will give a limited time of tick prevention.
Read more about all these preventatives here
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Immunity
Some
dogs and cats will develop immunity to ticks over several years of low
grade exposure. If an animal is affected and recovers from a case of
tick paralysis this does NOT make them immune. In fact, if they are
affected within a few weeks of the initial case they will suffer more
seriously the second time.
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