Vets have warned there is a tick boom unfolding along Australia’s east coast, with some experts predicting an unusually bad season for furry friends.
Veterinary scientist and parasitologist Peter Irwin, an emeritus professor at Murdoch University, told The Guardian severity of a tick season was largely determined by the preceding weather, and last summer had been “hot and wet along the east coast”.
“That implies the tick season this year will be bad, and indeed it seems to be panning out that way,” he said.
Paralysis ticks – found along a narrow strip of coastline stretching from north Queensland to Lakes Entrance in Victoria – were responsible for 95% of tick bites in humans, and were potentially lethal to cats, dogs and other animals.
If people or their pets were bitten, it’s important to remain calm and not to try to pull the tick off. You should always ‘freeze it, not squeeze it’ using tick-freezing spray from a chemist.
Paralysis ticks are mainly active between August and December with ticks typically emerging in spring.
Untreated cats and dogs will die of tick paralysis and even treatment sometimes does not work.
Do you check your pet for ticks? What preventative measures do you take? Why not share your tips in the comments section below?
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