And so it begins… Number 1 Canberran Paralysis for Tick Season 2017!
For those who question: “Are there Paralysis Ticks in Canberra?” … Meet Harry, the gorgeous 2yo Old English Sheepdog and living proof that there ARE Paralysis Ticks in Canberra. Thank you to his wonderful owners for allowing us to share these photos and his story.
Harry has not left Canberra. Nor have his owners. There have been no possible connections to Coastal areas or warmer climes. Harry suddenly began showing signs of weakness and breathing difficulty last weekend and was rushed to his Regular Veterinarian, who identified and removed an Ixodes Holocyclus Paralysis Tick and commenced treatment. He was transferred to CVES over the weekend for stabilisation and care and we are pleased to announce that he made a full recovery and was discharged home on Sunday.
This was 9 days before the beginning of Spring and local temperatures are barely exceeding mid-teens… dog and cat owners, PLEASE PROTECT YOUR PETS! Talk to your regular veterinarian and make sure that you use tick prevention… Paralysis Ticks CAN and DO survive in Canberra and are warming up along with the weather.
We are passionate about spreading the word about the presence of local Paralysis Ticks because we don’t want your pets to be affected! For many years it has been thought that the climate in Canberra is too cold and dry for Paralysis Ticks to survive but the cases that we are now seeing are suggesting otherwise… There are many new fantastic Tick Prevention products on the market which now make Tick Paralysis a PREVENTABLE DISEASE. So please talk to your Regular Veterinarian and make sure that your pets are protected!
We will keep you posted with a tally of patients who present with local Canberran Paralysis Ticks, but please make sure that you use Tick Prevention and that your pets do not become a statistic!