Staffyluv Posted October 28, 2011 Share Posted October 28, 2011 OK I have never had a dog with a tick before and just patting the new foster boy and it looks like a tick. Googling has made me panic more as it looks like a paralysis tick - it is a light greyish/brown colour and probably a bit smaller than half a centimetre in length... How do you remove these? Or do I need a vet to do so (going by pictures it looks like it is about half engorged). Thanks in advance Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bullbreedlover Posted October 28, 2011 Share Posted October 28, 2011 (edited) You can get special tweezers to remove these, but if there is a chance of it being a paralysis tick then I would be off to the vets.There is a time frame. I think it is 72 hours as such. I always carry a card in my purse which has the identifying ticks on them. WHere we are I was always of the opinion that we didnt get paralysis ticks, just the cattle ones, but a friends dog in Toowoomba died of paralysis poisioning the other week. eta Just looked on the card and it says a time frame of more than two days before ill health Edited October 28, 2011 by Bullbreedlover Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staffyluv Posted October 28, 2011 Author Share Posted October 28, 2011 You can get special tweezers to remove these, but if there is a chance of it being a paralysis tick then I would be off to the vets.There is a time frame. I think it is 72 hours as such. I always carry a card in my purse which has the identifying ticks on them. WHere we are I was always of the opinion that we didnt get paralysis ticks, just the cattle ones, but a friends dog in Toowoomba died of paralysis poisioning the other week. Thanks for that - I have been reading as much as I can since I found it. Now I am not sure that it would be a paralysis tick as we are in Queanbeyan (near Canberra) and the pooch was found in Bungendore. So perhaps it is a cattle tick or some other tick?? It sure looks like the picture of a partly engorged paralysis tick. I will keep an eye on him and take him to the vets first thing in the morning as he seems OK in himself (no symptoms of any kind) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bullbreedlover Posted October 28, 2011 Share Posted October 28, 2011 You can get special tweezers to remove these, but if there is a chance of it being a paralysis tick then I would be off to the vets.There is a time frame. I think it is 72 hours as such. I always carry a card in my purse which has the identifying ticks on them. WHere we are I was always of the opinion that we didnt get paralysis ticks, just the cattle ones, but a friends dog in Toowoomba died of paralysis poisioning the other week. Thanks for that - I have been reading as much as I can since I found it. Now I am not sure that it would be a paralysis tick as we are in Queanbeyan (near Canberra) and the pooch was found in Bungendore. So perhaps it is a cattle tick or some other tick?? It sure looks like the picture of a partly engorged paralysis tick. I will keep an eye on him and take him to the vets first thing in the morning as he seems OK in himself (no symptoms of any kind) Two of my dogs got cattle ticks after attending the Toowoomba royal about 3 years ago. I removed them carefully and correctly. You have to make sure you get the whole of the tick. I have been told that you can smother them with vaseline. I think there is a pinned thread on ticks in health/grooming?????? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jumabaar Posted October 28, 2011 Share Posted October 28, 2011 (edited) You can get special tweezers to remove these, but if there is a chance of it being a paralysis tick then I would be off to the vets.There is a time frame. I think it is 72 hours as such. I always carry a card in my purse which has the identifying ticks on them. WHere we are I was always of the opinion that we didnt get paralysis ticks, just the cattle ones, but a friends dog in Toowoomba died of paralysis poisioning the other week. Thanks for that - I have been reading as much as I can since I found it. Now I am not sure that it would be a paralysis tick as we are in Queanbeyan (near Canberra) and the pooch was found in Bungendore. So perhaps it is a cattle tick or some other tick?? It sure looks like the picture of a partly engorged paralysis tick. I will keep an eye on him and take him to the vets first thing in the morning as he seems OK in himself (no symptoms of any kind) Have a look at the colour of the legs- that is a good way of identifying a paralysis tick vs other common ticks as opposed to going on the colour of the body. Please just don't ask me what colour means what type of tick because i can't remember the song (long story). http://www.ingleburnvet.com.au/ticks.htm That link kind of shows what I mean about dark/light coloured legs on the different ticks. Just trying to confirm that those pictures are correct. ETZ another link http://www.thevets.com.au/ticks.htm Edited October 28, 2011 by Jumabaar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trifecta Posted October 28, 2011 Share Posted October 28, 2011 Paralysis ticks in the Queanbeyan area would be imported from the coast - highly unlikely it would be a paralysis tick given he has been impounded for three weeks. Where is the tick located on the dog? Are you sure it is a tick - can you see its legs waving around, or could it be some kind of growth If it is a tick you can lever it off with a pair of scissors, pop it into a small container with some metho & keep it for identification at the vet if you are worried. There is some useful tick info including identification on this page. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bianca.a Posted October 28, 2011 Share Posted October 28, 2011 If there is any chance it is a paralysis tick, you really want to going to the vet asap. The longer the toxin is untreated the worse the outcome can be. Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trifecta Posted October 28, 2011 Share Posted October 28, 2011 Sorry, I am slow to type. Yes, we do get bush ticks in Bungendore from time to time. They hitch a ride on roos, wombats & cattle. Sounds like this little guy has one, although I would expect it to be fully engorged & dropped off given the amount of time he has been impounded. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staffyluv Posted October 28, 2011 Author Share Posted October 28, 2011 OK we have red legs and I just removed the horrid thing. It is still walking around on the paper and most definitely a paralysis tick based on every photo I have looked at. I have put it in a zip lock bag and will take him and it to the vets in the morning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staffyluv Posted October 28, 2011 Author Share Posted October 28, 2011 (edited) Paralysis ticks in the Queanbeyan area would be imported from the coast - highly unlikely it would be a paralysis tick given he has been impounded for three weeks. Where is the tick located on the dog? Are you sure it is a tick - can you see its legs waving around, or could it be some kind of growth If it is a tick you can lever it off with a pair of scissors, pop it into a small container with some metho & keep it for identification at the vet if you are worried. There is some useful tick info including identification on this page. tifecta yes, it is definitely a tick. It is grey/brown, with redish coloured legs and fairly full. It was on his left side, about half way down his body. I have removed it and it was moving around on the paper a bit before I put it in a zip lock back. I tried to take a picture of it but they are all blurry and you really can't see it very well. I will take him and it to the vets tomorrow just to be safe. I was wondering the same thing, seeing as he has been in the pound for 3 weeks - unless he got it at the pound (there is a small amount of bush just outside some of the runs ??). Edited October 28, 2011 by Staffyluv Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poodle Mum Posted October 28, 2011 Share Posted October 28, 2011 To be on the safe side.....don't give him any food or water until been to the vets. Don't take him for a walk in the morning or do anything to get him to excited. It just helps to circulate toxin.....that is if it is a paraylsis tick. Hope it is not a paraylsis tick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheena Posted October 28, 2011 Share Posted October 28, 2011 You can get special tweezers to remove these, but if there is a chance of it being a paralysis tick then I would be off to the vets.There is a time frame. I think it is 72 hours as such. I always carry a card in my purse which has the identifying ticks on them. WHere we are I was always of the opinion that we didnt get paralysis ticks, just the cattle ones, but a friends dog in Toowoomba died of paralysis poisioning the other week. Thanks for that - I have been reading as much as I can since I found it. Now I am not sure that it would be a paralysis tick as we are in Queanbeyan (near Canberra) and the pooch was found in Bungendore. So perhaps it is a cattle tick or some other tick?? It sure looks like the picture of a partly engorged paralysis tick. I will keep an eye on him and take him to the vets first thing in the morning as he seems OK in himself (no symptoms of any kind) We have most of the tick species here on the NSW North coast & the paralysis tick we get is a light slatey grey in colour & is always firmly imbedded, whereas the other ticks are easy to pull off. I just grab the tick down low as possible & pull it out. I have been told not to put anything on the tick to try & kill it, as this just makes it pump more poisen in before it dies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crisovar Posted October 28, 2011 Share Posted October 28, 2011 Paralysis Ticks are on the move following the big wet season earlier in the year. They are now in areas where they were previously unheard of. I have lived here since the early 1970's and we are now seeing paralysis ticks for the first time. Bandicoot numbers here have exploded and with them comes ticks, much the same in other areas I would imagine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogbesotted Posted October 28, 2011 Share Posted October 28, 2011 my vet alwasy said a quick check is that the paralysis tick has legs at the front of its body I still have is drawings pinned in the kitchen for quick identification hope all is well Helen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staffyluv Posted October 29, 2011 Author Share Posted October 29, 2011 I went up to the vets this morning and showed them the tick I pulled off - not a paralysis tick, thankfully. There were actually 2 ticks, one small black one and the big, greyish one. It was easy to pull off. The vet said they have had a few paralysis tick cases in lately. Just wanted to let the Canberra region people know because I did not think we had them here - obviously we do. So it is something to look out for. I have checked him all over and he is now tick free. He will be vaccinated on Monday when we collect the pup from the pound (do them both at once)... Then the following week he will be making the trip in to be desexed.. Thanks for all the advice and reassurance last night Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dancinbcs Posted October 29, 2011 Share Posted October 29, 2011 The only dogs I have ever heard of with paralysis ticks in that area, have picked them up at shows, from dogs that have come up from the coast. The owners can also bring ticks back on their belongings if they visit the coast. The Goulburn/ACT are is too cold and dry for ticks to live there for long but they can certainly be brought into the area on other dogs, vehicles, and especially in things like mulch that may have come from a tick area. I once brought a paralysis tick back from a trip to Brisbane Royal. I found it 4 days after I got home, on one of the dogs I didn't take on the trip. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staffyluv Posted October 29, 2011 Author Share Posted October 29, 2011 The only dogs I have ever heard of with paralysis ticks in that area, have picked them up at shows, from dogs that have come up from the coast. The owners can also bring ticks back on their belongings if they visit the coast. The Goulburn/ACT are is too cold and dry for ticks to live there for long but they can certainly be brought into the area on other dogs, vehicles, and especially in things like mulch that may have come from a tick area. I once brought a paralysis tick back from a trip to Brisbane Royal. I found it 4 days after I got home, on one of the dogs I didn't take on the trip. Yep that is what I thought too... They come into the area via another means - but I thought it was scary that there had been 4 cases of late at the local vets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dancinbcs Posted October 29, 2011 Share Posted October 29, 2011 The only dogs I have ever heard of with paralysis ticks in that area, have picked them up at shows, from dogs that have come up from the coast. The owners can also bring ticks back on their belongings if they visit the coast. The Goulburn/ACT are is too cold and dry for ticks to live there for long but they can certainly be brought into the area on other dogs, vehicles, and especially in things like mulch that may have come from a tick area. I once brought a paralysis tick back from a trip to Brisbane Royal. I found it 4 days after I got home, on one of the dogs I didn't take on the trip. Yep that is what I thought too... They come into the area via another means - but I thought it was scary that there had been 4 cases of late at the local vets. Yes, and it always pays to check what sort of tick it is, just in case, unless you are very familair with ticks in your area. The few bush and cattle ticks I have found on my dogs over the years have all been taken to the vets for them to check under the microscope. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trifecta Posted October 29, 2011 Share Posted October 29, 2011 The only dogs I have ever heard of with paralysis ticks in that area, have picked them up at shows, from dogs that have come up from the coast. The owners can also bring ticks back on their belongings if they visit the coast. The Goulburn/ACT are is too cold and dry for ticks to live there for long but they can certainly be brought into the area on other dogs, vehicles, and especially in things like mulch that may have come from a tick area. I once brought a paralysis tick back from a trip to Brisbane Royal. I found it 4 days after I got home, on one of the dogs I didn't take on the trip. Yep that is what I thought too... They come into the area via another means - but I thought it was scary that there had been 4 cases of late at the local vets. Not so scary when you see the procession of cars going down the coast! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tassie Posted October 29, 2011 Share Posted October 29, 2011 Glad all is well, staffyluv. I've pulled 3 ticks off my BC Rory in the last couple of weeks - not supposed to be paralysis ticks down here - but a couple have been that pale greay colour - the other was brown. I have bush and bandicoots on my place, so I'm going to have to be careful this summer - not easy on a BC with a big coat. two were near his eyes, so easy to see - the other was on his shoulder - hadn't felt it - saw it when the hair parted under the dryer when I was getting him ready for the Royal last week. I'm like sheens - take them off with fingernails down against the skin - kind of twist and pull in one motion - as per vet advice. Oh - and round the anus is another place to check apparently. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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