Tick Paralysis – Solutions
It is caused by ticks which excrete a toxin that affects the nervous system of mammals, more specifically caused from female tick bites, and it can turn deadly if not treated. What happens, is that a tick bite can produce a flaccid paralysis, which leaves your dog with no muscular tone, feeling weak. 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.
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. 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 discover how you can easily prevent a deadly situation for your pooch.
Warning Signs
Unfortunately, the signs usually start about five to seven days after the tick has started feeding, but the good thing is that it will usually take multiple ticks feeding at the same time to elicit the paralysis. 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.
Whenever you notice your dog struggle with mobility, you should always take note if any of his/her symptoms relate to the above, so that way you can get your dog treatment immediately if they are in fact infected.
Diagnosis
Normally, tick paralysis is diagnosed based on the onset of paralysis itself, and of course a rapidly worsening condition.
Your dog will have a rapid recovery once you are able to locate the tick(s) and remove them. 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
The cure for the problem is simple, as all you have to do is remove and and all ticks on your dog. Ticks may not be the easiest to locate when your dog has tons of fur, which is why you may opt to shaving your dog, so that you can more easily locate it/them, before they cause your dog more harm.
Your dog may require more supportive care, such as artificial respiration, once the ticks are out, depending on how much damage was done.
An antitoxin is also available which can be given to your dog so that he/she can be cured quickly.
