Look out for Tick Paralysis in Dogs

The ticks produce a poisonous substance that affects mammals like dogs and causes paralysis and in that sense, it is not the ticks that are affected but the dogs. The dog experiences a feeling of immense weakness in the muscles upon being bitten by the tick and becomes almost paralytic.

Not all dogs and mammals suffer from this kind of a paralysis on being bitten by ticks as only some of them bear the brunt, while some others only experience weakness in their hind legs. Since the side effects can vary, some mammals can easily fall into a critical state as their muscles become unable to move, especially their respiratory muscles, therefore making it difficult for the animal to breathe.

By knowing about the different kind of paralysis that is caused by the ticks in different mammals, you can prevent things from becoming worse by quickly taking out the ticks and casting them away.

This article will help you protect your pooch from any dangerous situation caused due to ticks.

Indications

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.

You may notice that your dog suddenly seems weaker and has poor coordination with his/her hind legs, which are the very first clues that your dog has been bit by a tick. 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.

Since death can occur within hours from respiratory failure, because of the muscle paralysis caused, it is absolutely critical that you check for these signs.

Findings

Based on the symptoms exhibited and the health condition of your pet at that time, paralysis may be identified as having occurred. Paralysis has been known to be dependent on particular seasons, but your pet will recover quickly as soon as the ticks are picked and removed from the body.

Though it may be easy to find out if your pet is paralytic from the way he behaves, it is important for you to constantly check for any ticks to play safe.

Cures

The most practical way is to remove all the ticks. {You may have a hard time finding all of the ticks, or the tick, if your dog has a lot of fur, because ticks normally burrow into the skin, which means you may have to shave your dog for the time being, before they cause serious harm to your pooch.| It may be difficult for you to identify all the ticks especially if they are hidden in the thick fur of your pet's body and you may have to totally shave your pet to get at them.| Picking up all the ticks on the pet's body may be fraught with difficulty especially if your pet is very hairy and in that case you may need to shave your pet to ensure all ticks are effectively removed.|

Though most dogs make a quick recovery once the ticks are eliminated, some of them may have to be treated by the veterinarian if the condition is more serious.

You may also want to consider an antitoxin to be administered to your dog, so that your dog can cure faster.