Stewart Street Veterinary Hospital’s Dr Ann-Maree Shearer said that, with the weather warming up, the presence of ticks, including paralysis ticks, has been increasing.

“That is a normal rise we see every year,” she said. 

“They tend to drop off over winter, in the cooler months.” 

Bathurst is fortunate not to be an area where paralysis ticks are found, but once people venture over the mountains with their dogs, they are at risk.

Dr Shearer said the best thing to do is take preventative action to reduce the risk to pets, as it is both safer and cheaper than treatment if a dog is bitten. 

People can give their pets “spot-ons” every fortnight or a single chewable tablet, which is effective for a month.

Dr Shearer’s preferred method of treatment is the tablet, however she said people should consider how long their pets will be in tick-prone areas for when selecting preventative treatment. 

Medication can become effective within 24 hours of it being administered, but it is recommended that medication be given two to three days ahead of travel to be sure the dog is protected.

“No medication is 100 per cent effective, so you can still be on meds and have to check them,” Dr Shearer said. 

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To check for ticks, people need to feel for small lumps on their pet’s coat, which are roughly the size of a pea. 

If a lump is detected, the animal should be taken to a vet immediately for removal and treatment. 

As part of the preventative treatment, people should be careful when allowing their dogs to roam outdoors. 

“If you know you are going in a tick area, stay away from low-lying scrub,” Dr Shearer said. 

Dr Shearer said it was important to note that it can take three to five days for a paralysis tick to engorge, but potentially between seven and 10 days after you’ve returned to Bathurst.

She said it could be the cold weather that makes a difference. 

If a dog has been bitten by a paralysis tick, its bark will change, before the hind legs and then the front legs are affected. 

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