TICK PARALYSIS AND YOUR PET

Paralysis in pets is a progressive condition caused by the Australian paralysis tick (Ixodes holocyclus).

This tick injects a neurotoxin that prevents nerves from activating muscles, leading to weakness, difficulty breathing, and potentially death if not treated promptly.

Paralysis ticks are common along Queensland’s coast and can affect both dogs and cats year-round — though risk is highest in the warmer, humid months.

These symptoms may start mild but can worsen quickly:

🐶 Dogs may show:

• Change in bark (hoarse, softer, or absent)
   
• Weakness or wobbliness in the back legs
   
• Reluctance to jump, walk, or climb stairs
   
• Vomiting or gagging (often from throat muscle weakness)
   
• Excessive drooling
   
• Panting or mild breathing effort
   

🐱 Cats may show:

• Hiding or reluctance to move
   
• Wobbliness, unsteady walking, or sitting low to the ground
   
• Change in meow (quieter or hoarse)
   
• Gagging, coughing, or drooling
   
• Difficulty swallowing food or water
   
• Rapid, noisy, or laboured breathing
   

If you notice any of these, seek veterinary attention immediately:

• Inability to stand or walk
   
• Severe breathing difficulty or open-mouth breathing
   
• Blue or pale gums/tongue
   
• Collapse or unresponsiveness
   

Tick paralysis can progress even after the tick is removed, so it’s critical to get veterinary help as soon as symptoms appear.

• Check your pet daily, especially around the head, neck, chest, and under collars.
   
• Remove ticks carefully with fine-point tweezers or a tick removal tool. Keep the tick for identification if possible.
   
• Contact your vet immediately—do not wait to see if symptoms improve.
   
• Use year-round tick prevention, as advised by your veterinarian (spot-ons, tablets, or collars).
   

Tick paralysis is common, preventable, and treatable if caught early.
If you’re ever unsure—call us straight away or your closest Emergency Clinic (see our Contacts page).