Why do ticks cause paralysis? Australian paralysis ticks, Ixodes Holocyclus are small grey ticks that live on native and domestic animals along the eastern Australian coastal strip. Most native animals are to a certain extent immune to the toxins but when the ticks attach on to a domestic animal they inject a neurotoxin that causes progressive paralysis leading to respiratory depression and ultimately death. Dogs and cats can present with several different signs such as: Wobbly back legs Reluctance to jump or walk Weakness climbing stairs Coughing or grunting Retching, regurgitating or vomiting Change in bark or meow Difficult or fast breathing Complete paralysis or collapse The dog or cat may have the tick on them for up to three weeks before it is fully engorged and begins injecting its toxin. Hotter weather will cause faster engorgement and thus quicker paralysis. Sometimes, if the tick is pulled off early and the animal is exhibiting no symptoms of paralysis, they may not require treatment. However, if they have any of the symptoms listed above they require immediate veterinary attention. The sooner the animal receives treatment, the better the prognosis. Nymph forms of the tick can also attach to dogs and cats and if in high enough numbers can cause extreme agitation and discomfort. These animals can be treated with a tick spray, antihistamines and sometimes cortisone injections. What does initial treatment involved? Remove and kill all ticksThe ticks must be removed to stop further toxin absorption. If done at home, make sure you show the vet to confirm what type it is. Your animal may be clipped to search for other ticks. Your pet will also be sprayed with Frontline (fipronil) or Permoxin (dogs only) to ensure any missed ticks are dead. SedationIf your animal is stressed, we may give them some sedation to allow treatment. This may be required throughout their whole stay in hospital as stress can exacerbate symptoms. Tick AntiserumAll animals exhibiting tick p