Tick Paralysis In Dogs

Simply put, tick paralysis is a paralysis in animals caused by a tick, especially certain female tick breeds, which secrete a toxin which affects the nervous system of mammals.

What happens, is that a tick bite can produce a flaccid paralysis, which leaves your dog with no muscular tone, feeling weak.  Some mammers are not affected by tick bites, such as cats, as they seem to be immune to it, and likewise, not all breeds of dogs are effected, and even some animals only experience some side effects in their hind limbs. In some other pets, the condition can become extremely critical where the condition can ascend up the body and affect the front limbs and even the muscles required for breathing.

Thus, it is extremely critical that you are able to spot and recognize the issue immediately so that your pet's problem can be cured and the tick(s) removed.

Read on to find out how you effectively get rid of the affects of a tick bite….

Symptoms and Signs

Usually the signs will start 5-7 days after the tick has actually bit your dog, but it will usually take a few tick bites simultaneously in order for paralysis to actually begin occurring. Another issue with ticks, is that they can easily hide underneath your dogs fur, and are not easily detected, which is why you should always look for the symptoms, such as weakness and poor coordination in their hind legs.

Dogs can also exhibit difficulty when swallowing, breathing, and chewing, but there will be no signs of a fever or regular illness symptoms aside from these. Death can occur within hours from respiratory failure, because the muscles in the chest become paralyzed, which is why you must always check for these signs when you notice that your dog seems less mobile.

Diagnosing the issue

A diagnosis for your dog is most often given if your dog has a rapidly worsening condition, or if he/she is actually experiencing the common symptoms, most notably, paralysis. It also can depend on the seasons of the year, but rapid recovery occurs the instance that the ticks are removed.

Since the diagnosis relies a lot on the early signs of paralysis, you should also regularly check your dog for ticks, especially if you notice his/her behavior change, or if you are often outdoors in regions where there are ticks.

Treating the issue

Since the ticks can be removed, all you have to do is find them. This may be difficult if your dog often has a lot of fur, which means you may have to literally shave your dog to find the tick(s), before they cause serious damage to your dog. Upon removal of any and all ticks, your dog may require future care from a veterinarian or may require some supportive care, such as artificial respiration.

There is also an antitoxin available to be given to your dog, and it can be procured quickly.