H&LSummer2017eMAG

Do you know how to identify a tick? Keep your pets safe... Check for ticks daily

more ticks, until the entire body is searched. It is recommended that owners keep an eye on their dog for the next few days following removal of a paralysis tick, as tick paralysis could still develop. If signs of tick paralysis develop, contact a veterinarian immediately. Vets can show pet owners the best way to remove ticks using a pair of tweezers or specialised tick removing tools. Pet owners living on the east coast should examine their dog for ticks on a daily basis, even if tick control has been applied. The initial, slow feeding nature of ticks gives pet owners a couple of days to locate and remove paralysis ticks before symptoms of tick paralysis develop. Check for ticks daily, carefully feeling all over the dog’s coat down to skin level. Pay particular attention to the head and neck, inside the ears, mouth, between the toes, under the front legs, and around the anal and genital areas. Then inspect the rest of the body. Remember, the majority of ticks are found forward of the front legs.

and larger mouthparts. The unfed female is yellow-brown but as it feeds, becomes a pale blue-grey colour and develops a brown, shield-shaped disc, encircling the body. Another distinguishing feature is the placement of their legs: clustered at the front of the abdomen and close to the mouthparts. The first and last pair of legs are distinctly darker in colour than the middle pairs of legs. SIGNS OF TICK PARALYSIS? • Lethargic • Change in bark tone • Coughing • Difficulty swallowing • A grunt whilst breathing • Appearing wobbly and uncoordinated • Weakness in the hind legs, progressing to the front legs. Checking for ticks- What to do if a tick is found contact your veterinarian immediately if you suspect the dog may be suffering from tick paralysis. If the dog appears normal and shows no signs of tick paralysis, the owner can remove the tick and continue looking for

PARALYSIS TICK is Australia’s most dangerous tick that kills pets. There are around 70 tick species in Australia however only a few are known to attach to dogs including the brown dog tick (Rhipicephalus sanguineus), bush tick (Haemaphysalis longicornis), cattle tick (Boophilus microplus) and paralysis ticks (Ixodes holocyclus) and (Ixodes cornuatus). Only the female paralysis tick can cause tick paralysis. PARALYSIS TICKS are variable in size. A fully engorged female tick may be 15–18 mm long. Lighter in colour than both cattle tick and bush tick, and has longer, stronger legs,

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& Lifestyle Magazine | Summer 2017

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