Tick Paralysis In Dogs – Symptoms and Warnings

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. Tick bites often produce a flaccid paralysis, when they bite, which causes your dog to suddenly feel weak and have no muscular tone. It can vary depending on what kind of dog you have, as not all dogs or mammals are affected by ticks, and even some animals only have their hind limbs affected.

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 very important to be able to recognize and distinguish tick paralysis so that the symptoms and be put under control before things get out of hand.

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

Warning Signs

The normal time for symptoms to being showing is anywhere from five to seven days, but keep in mind that one tick bite can take a lot longer to show, as multiple tick bites will show paralysis sooner. The problem is, however, that since dogs are so furry, it can be hard to even notice a tick in the first place, as they can burrow themselves to the base of the skin, but the very first signs are weakness and in coordination in the hind legs. Your dog may also exhibit difficulty in chewing, breathing, and swallowing, and there will also not be any signs of a fever.

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

Most often, paralysis is diagnosed based on the symptoms, and also if your dog has a rapidly worsening condition.

It also can depend on the seasons of the year, but rapid recovery occurs the instance that the ticks are removed. Of course, easy diagnosis also comes from the signs of paralysis, but you should regularly check your dog for ticks, if his/her behavior becomes strange, especially if you are often in regions which have ticks.

Treating Tick Paralysis

Since the ticks can be removed, all you have to do is find them. 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.

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.

Here’s a website that will talk about Tick Paralysis