A combination of the warm weather with some rain lately has caused an increase in the incidence of ticks in our area, with the deadly paralysis tick being quite common.

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Prevention is the best way to protect our pets from succumbing to ticks and avoid a trip to the vet.

During the tick season it is best if you avoid their habitat as much as possible, don’t take your dog walking in bush or scrub areas, keep your lawns and shrubs short and remove any compost from your property where your animals roam.

Wildlife which is plentiful in our region acts as the ‘reservoir’ for the ticks which don’t seem to cause illness in the native species.

You should always check your pets daily along with anytime they return from being in areas where they may have been exposed to ticks.

Donna Gilroy from Medowie’s Noah’s Ark Vet Clinic told News of the Area “Signs of tick poisoning include a change in the bark or meow, wobbliness or weakness in the legs, breathing problems and difficulty swallowing which can also cause the animal to vomit. Once symptoms develop even with treatment recovery is by no means guaranteed, so in this case, prevention is always better than a cure.”

There are numerous tick prevention products on the market for your pets that can be given orally, as a spot on or a worn collar, however your vet is the best person to recommend the most appropriate one for your pets.

Donna advised “If you find a tick on your animal, remove it and contact the vet. If you suspect your pet is affected, contact the vet even after they have closed so treatment can be started asap, but year round prevention is your key to peace of mind for you and your pet.”

By Julie McKimm