Wolf & I Co. Blog | Adventures Of The Wolf Pack

Australia is an incredible place to explore with your dog. From coastal walks and bush trails to camping trips and weekend adventures, there are countless places to discover together.

But wherever there is a lot of long grass, scrub, dense vegetation and wildlife, which means there is also the potential for ticks.

For Australian dog owners, ticks are more than just an irritating parasite. The Australian paralysis tick (Ixodes holocyclus) can inject a powerful toxin that affects the nervous system and can cause progressive paralysis and, in severe cases, death if treatment is not provided quickly.

The good news is that there are practical steps every dog owner can take to reduce the risk. Knowing how to prevent ticks, how to check your dog and what to do if you find one can make a potentially serious situation much easier to manage.

Why Are Ticks So Dangerous to Dogs?

Australia has several species of ticks that can affect dogs, but the paralysis tick is one of the greatest concerns for dogs living in or travelling through areas where it occurs.

Paralysis ticks are found predominantly along Australia's eastern seaboard, extending from northern Queensland through New South Wales and into Victoria. Suitable tick habitat can also occur inland.

As a paralysis tick feeds, it releases toxin into its host. This toxin can interfere with the nervous system and cause weakness that may progressively move from the hind legs towards the front of the body and respiratory muscles.

One of the biggest challenges for dog owners is that a tick can be surprisingly difficult to find. It may be hidden beneath thick fur or attached in areas that are difficult to inspect.

Ticks are commonly found around areas including:

• The ears and around the head
• The face and lips
• Under the collar
• The neck
• Between the toes
• Under the front legs or armpits
• The chest and belly
• The groin
• Around the tail and hindquarters

Even if you cannot find a tick, the absence of a visible tick does not rule out tick paralysis. A tick may have detached, leaving behind a small raised area or "tick crater", or it may simply be difficult to locate.

Where Are Paralysis Ticks Found in Australia?

Paralysis ticks are particularly associated with the eastern coast of Australia, from North Queensland through New South Wales and into Victoria. They favour humid, moist and bushy environments and are associated with areas where suitable wildlife hosts are present.

Risk can vary depending on location, weather, vegetation and wildlife activity. Tick activity can also increase following periods of rainfall and when there is plenty of ground cover.

For dogs living in or travelling through tick-prone areas, prevention should be taken seriously throughout the year, with particular attention during periods of increased tick activity.

Recognising the Signs of Tick Paralysis

Knowing the early warning signs of tick paralysis could potentially save your dog's life.

Early signs can include:

• Weakness in the hind legs
• A wobbly or unsteady walk
• Difficulty standing or getting up
• Loss of coordination
• A change in the sound of your dog's bark or voice
• Retching or coughing
• Vomiting or regurgitation
• Excessive drooling or salivation
• Loss of appetite
• Unusual behaviour or lethargy

As paralysis progresses, signs can include:

• Progressive weakness involving the front legs
• Difficulty swallowing
• Difficulty breathing
• Rapid or laboured breathing
• Grunting noises when breathing
• Being unable to stand
• Collapse

Tick paralysis can progress quickly and can become life-threatening when the muscles involved in breathing are affected.

If your dog develops any of these symptoms after being outdoors in a tick-prone area, treat it as an emergency and contact a veterinarian immediately. Do not let them run or walk around. Stop all activity.

How to Prevent Ticks on Your Dog

The best approach to tick paralysis is prevention. No preventative measure should be considered a substitute for regular tick checks, however, and dog owners should use a combination of appropriate preventative treatment, awareness and physical inspection.

1. Speak to Your Vet About Tick Prevention

There are a number of veterinary tick-control products available for dogs, including oral and topical treatments and other preventative options.

The right product depends on your dog's individual circumstances, including their age, weight, health, lifestyle and where you live or travel.

Speak with your veterinarian about an appropriate tick-prevention program for your dog and follow the product label and veterinary advice carefully.

Preventative treatments can significantly reduce the risk of tick paralysis, but they do not mean that physical tick checks can be skipped. Australian veterinary and animal-welfare guidance recommends continuing to check dogs regularly even when preventative products are being used.

2. Check Your Dog Every Day

One of the most important habits you can develop is a thorough tick check.

Ideally, check your dog at least once every day when you live in or are travelling through areas where paralysis ticks occur — and always check after an outdoor adventure.

Use your fingertips to feel through your dog's coat rather than relying solely on your eyes. Small ticks can be surprisingly difficult to see but may be felt as a small lump on the skin.

A simple tick-check routine:

1. Start at your dog's nose and face.
2. Check around the eyes and lips.
3. Examine the inside and outside of both ears.
4. Remove the collar and carefully check underneath it.
5. Feel around the neck and shoulders.
6. Check the chest and front legs.
7. Check underneath the front legs and around the armpits.
8. Run your hands along the back and sides.
9. Check the belly and groin.
10. Inspect all four paws and carefully check between the toes.
11. Check the back legs and thighs.
12. Finish by checking around the tail and hindquarters.

Don't rush. A thorough inspection is far more useful than simply looking over your dog's coat.

3. Pay Particular Attention After Bush and Outdoor Adventures

You don't need to stop exploring with your dog because ticks exist. However, it is important to understand the environment you're entering and take sensible precautions.

Be particularly vigilant when visiting:

• Bushland
• Dense scrub
• Long grass
• Heavily vegetated areas
• Camping areas
• Rural and semi-rural properties
• Areas with significant wildlife activity

Ticks rely on passing animals to transport them, and native wildlife such as marsupials can act as natural hosts.

Following periods of rain, when vegetation and ground cover are thick, it is particularly sensible to be vigilant about checking your dog after outdoor adventures.

4. Make Your Backyard Less Tick-Friendly

While you cannot completely eliminate the possibility of ticks around your home, maintaining your yard can help reduce favourable tick habitat.

• Keep lawns maintained.
• Keep dense vegetation under control.
• Remove excessive leaf litter and garden debris.
• Keep your dog's bedding and sleeping areas clean.
• Maintain frequently used outdoor areas.

The RSPCA recommends keeping lawns and shrubs short and removing compost material from backyards as part of reducing exposure to tick habitat.

What Should You Do If You Find a Tick on Your Dog?

Act quickly.

If you discover an attached tick, it should be removed as soon as possible. A suitable tick-removal device can be useful, and your veterinarian can show you the correct technique.

Australian veterinary guidance recommends removing the tick with an appropriate tick-removal device, tweezers or a suitable twist-and-pluck technique while taking care not to squeeze or crush the body of the tick.

If you find a tick:

1. Stay calm.
2. Keep your dog quiet and minimise excitement and any exercise. No running.
3. Remove the tick as soon as possible using an appropriate technique or tick-removal tool.
4. If practical, retain the tick in a sealed container so it can be identified by your veterinarian.
5. Continue searching your dog carefully for additional ticks.
6. Contact your veterinarian promptly, particularly if your dog is showing any symptoms.

Finding and removing one tick does not necessarily mean your dog is safe. There may be additional ticks that you haven't found, and symptoms can develop even after a tick has been removed.

What If Your Dog Starts Showing Symptoms?

This is where speed matters.

If you suspect your dog may have tick paralysis, contact your veterinarian or an emergency veterinary hospital immediately.

Don't wait to see whether your dog's symptoms improve on their own.

While arranging veterinary care:

• Keep your dog calm and quiet.
• Minimise exercise, excitement and unnecessary movement.
• Keep your dog at a comfortable temperature.
• Search for and remove any ticks you can safely locate.
• Contact your veterinarian immediately.

Australian veterinary guidance recommends keeping a suspected tick-paralysis patient quiet and minimising stress while veterinary care is arranged.

Should You Give Your Dog Food or Water?

If your dog is showing signs of tick paralysis, do not offer food, water or anything by mouth while you are arranging emergency veterinary care unless your veterinarian specifically tells you otherwise.

Tick paralysis can interfere with a dog's ability to swallow and protect its airway. Food or water can therefore enter the airways, potentially causing aspiration and serious respiratory complications.

Emergency Warning Signs

Seek urgent veterinary attention if your dog develops any of the following:

• Sudden weakness
• Hind-leg weakness or wobbliness
• Difficulty standing
• Loss of coordination
• Change in bark or voice
• Retching or coughing
• Vomiting or regurgitation
• Excessive drooling
• Difficulty swallowing
• Progressive weakness
• Difficulty breathing
• Collapse

If your dog is having difficulty breathing or is unable to stand, this is a veterinary emergency.

Why Checking Your Dog After an Adventure Matters

For many dogs, the opportunity to explore the bush, beach, trails and open spaces is one of the best parts of life.

But adventure comes with responsibility.

Making a tick check part of your normal post-adventure routine means you are far more likely to identify a tick before it has had more time to feed and release toxin.

Think of it as part of your dog's adventure checklist:

• Adventure complete ✓
• Water and rest ✓
• Clean up ✓
• Full tick check ✓
• Back home safely ✓

Be Prepared Before You Go

A little preparation can go a long way when you're heading into tick country.

Consider carrying a small dog adventure safety kit containing:

• A suitable tick-removal tool
• Basic first-aid supplies
• Fresh drinking water
• Your dog's identification details
• Your veterinarian's contact details
• The location of the nearest emergency veterinary hospital

Having a tick-removal tool with you is particularly useful when travelling, camping or exploring areas where access to veterinary care may not be immediate.

Ticks Shouldn't Stop You From Exploring

Australia is made for adventure — and our dogs deserve to experience it with us.

Whether you're heading out for a morning bush walk, a weekend camping trip, a beach adventure or a road trip, being prepared for ticks is simply part of responsible dog ownership.

Protect your dog. Check your dog. Know the warning signs. And act quickly if something doesn't look right.

A few minutes spent checking your dog after an adventure could make a very important difference.

GO. EXPLORE. DISCOVER.

But when you get home, remember one more thing:

CHECK FOR TICKS.

Quick Tick Safety Checklist for Dog Owners

• Keep your dog's veterinarian-recommended tick prevention up to date.
• Check your dog every day in tick-prone areas.
• Always check your dog after bush, grass or outdoor adventures.
• Pay particular attention to the head, ears, neck, collar area and paws.
• Learn what an Australian paralysis tick looks like.
• Keep a tick-removal tool in your adventure kit.
• Know the early symptoms of tick paralysis.
• Know where your nearest emergency vet is.
• Act immediately if you find a tick and your dog is showing symptoms.
• Never wait for serious breathing difficulties before seeking veterinary help.

Be Prepared

Ticks are a real risk for dogs in Australia, particularly in areas where paralysis ticks occur. However, awareness, preventative care, regular inspections and knowing how to respond can substantially reduce the risk and help you act quickly if your dog is affected.

Your dog's next adventure starts with being prepared.

This article is provided for general educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional veterinary advice, diagnosis or treatment. Tick risk varies according to location, season, environment and individual circumstances. Always speak with your veterinarian about the most appropriate tick-prevention program for your dog. If you suspect tick paralysis or your dog is showing concerning symptoms, seek urgent veterinary attention.