Tick poisoning

Your pet has been treated for tick poisoning caused by the Paralysis Tick Ixodes holocyclus. Depending on the severity of toxicity, this may have required a stay in Hospital.

At the time of going home, your pet may be walking and breathing normally and appear outwardly normal, or alternatively may still be showing some of the signs of tick paralysis (eg paralysis or leg weakness).

In either case, the following instructions are VERY IMPORTANT.

1 Food & water

2 Progression of sings

3 Search for more ticks

4 Avoid strenuous exercise or unnecessary excitement

5 Prevent re-infestation with ticks

6 Seek early treatment

1 Food & water

Tick poisoning prevents your pet from swallowing properly. Food or water given too early may cause choking, coughing or inhalation pneumonia which can be fatal.

Unless your pet has already been eating or drinking in Hospital, we recommend the following:

a) The first 24 hours offer water only, in small amounts. If vomiting or coughing occurs, stop offering water.

b) The second day you can offer soft, easy to swallow foods in small amounts. A little often is better than one big meal. If coughing or vomiting occurs, stop. In any case the pet’s total food intake should not exceed half of its normal daily food intake, at this stage.

c) The third day, if there have been no problems, return to normal daily feeding and make water freely available.

2 Progression of signs

When a pet is first treated with Tick Hyperimmune Serum, there is a time lag before it becomes effective, so that the pet’s condition may still deteriorate for a day or more following initial treatment. After this is will normally stabilise or start to recover.

Following a stay in Hospital of 24 hours or more, when a pet is sent home it should not get any worst than it is at the time of discharge from Hospital.

If it does get any worse, for example if it has greater difficulty walking, or starts coughing or vomiting, you should contact your veterinarian as soon as possible.

3 Search for more ticks

Although veterinary and nursing staff search every pet thoroughly for ticks while it is in Hospital, it is impossible to guarantee that one may not be missed. It is also possible for your pet to pick up more ticks as soon as it goes home. You should search the coat thoroughly for ticks every day and remove any you find. If you find any large ones (over 2mm long), call your vet.

4 Avoid strenuous exercise or unnecessary excitement

For up to 2 months after suffering from Tick paralysis, your pet’s body will be slowly recovering from the effects of the poison, even though outwardly it may seen to have made a quick recovery. Its hearts, lungs, muscles and nerves will not be as strong as they were before the disease. Recovery is gradual, and given time, should be complete without any permanent after-effects.

However it is important to avoid strenuous exercise or excitement, especially in the first few days. Taking a dog for a long run, for example, could cause a heart attack. We suggest confinement and rest for the first few days, and avoidance of serious exercise (as with working dogs) for four to six weeks.

5 prevent re-infestation with ticks.

Following treatment for Tick poisoning, you might expect your pet to develop immunity, but the passive short term immunity (a few days) conferred by the serum prevent the development of any long term effective immunity. During the two-month recovery period, the pet is actually more susceptible to another bout of Tick Poisoning if an adult female Paralysis tick attaches and injects her poison. Therefore it is important to keep ticks off your pet especially during this period.

6 Seek early treatment

Remember that if Tick poisoning affects an animal, the earlier treatment is given the higher will be the pet’s chance of survival. Contact your vet immediately if the signs of paralysis reoccur.

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