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After a great hike with your pooch, you notice something strange crawling on his head. Is it a flea? Or is it a tick?
If after a few days your dog starts to develop a fever, has chronic vomiting or starts to lose his coordination, it may be the result of tick bite paralysis, and you need to take your pooch to your vet immediately.
According to vetinfo.com, tick paralysis, or tick bite paralysis, is a tick-transmitted illness that is not common in dogs and fortunately can be reversible in most cases.
Petplace.com reports that “the toxin has been associated with female ticks in the eastern wood tick family, western mountain tick family and Australian tick family.”
What Causes Tick Bite Paralysis?
According to vetinfo.com, “The tick paralysis is caused by a toxin contained by tick saliva. Not all species of ticks carry this toxin and it is only females that are poisonous. The toxin affects the dog’s nervous system leading to paralysis.”
Tick-bite paralysis can take place after being bitten by only one tick. In some cases, dogs may not even contract the disease despite being infested with ticks.
“The toxins released by ticks cause lower motor neuron paralysis, which is defined as a loss of voluntary movement and which is caused by a disease of the nerves that connect the spinal cord and muscles. With lower motor neuron paralysis the muscles stay in an apparent state of relaxation,” states petmd.com.
What are the Symptoms of Tick Bite Paralysis?
According to petmd.com, “Symptoms usually begin to appear around six to nine days after a tick has attached to the skin of the dog. This disease is somewhat seasonal and more prevalent in the summer time in certain areas of the U.S.”
If your dog begins to develop any of these conditions, you must take him to the vet or emergency animal hospital immediately:
Vomiting
Regurgitation
Unsteadiness
High blood pressure
Fast heart rate and rhythm (tachyarrhythmias)
Weakness, especially in the hind limbs
Partial loss of muscle movements (paresis)
Complete loss of muscle movement (paralysis), commonly seen in advanced disease state
Poor reflexes to complete loss of reflex
Low muscle tone (hypotonia)
Difficulty in eating
Disorder of voice (dysphonia)
Asphyxia due to respiratory muscle paralysis in severely affected animals
Excessive drooling (sialosis)
Megaesophagus (enlarged esophagus)
Excessive dilatation of pupil in the eye (mydriasis)
How is Tick Bite Paralysis Diagnosed?
According to petplace.com, “Since there are several diseases that can result in severe weakness and paralysis, muscle electrical activity may be necessary to tell tick bite paralysis from botulism or other nerve diseases. A thorough physical and external exam, specifically looking for engorged ticks, can help diagnose tick bite paralysis.”
If your vet finds any ticks on your pooch, they must be quickly removed and sent to a laboratory to determine their species and what diseases they carry. The results of these tests may appear normal if there are no other diseases affecting your dog.
PetMD.com states, “In patients with respiratory-muscle paralysis, blood gases will need to be calculated to determine the severity of the respiratory compromise. If respiratory-muscle paralysis is occurring, low oxygen and high levels of carbon dioxide will be present in the blood, as the dog will not be able to properly inhale oxygen and exhale carbon dioxide. A chest radiograph (X-ray) may reveal an enlarged esophagus due to the extra effort of trying to breathe.”
Your vet may inquire about any recent visits you and your dog may have made to wooded areas that are prone to ticks, within the last few days and weeks.
How is Tick Bite Paralysis Treated?
“The treatment for tick bite paralysis is removal of the tick,” according to petplace.com. “After the tick is properly removed, recovery is usually rapid and complete. Frequently, full recovery is achieved within 24 to 72 hours. Some dogs may require hospitalization with intravenous fluid support if the muscle weakness is severe. Few dogs with advanced tick bite paralysis may even need respiratory assistance, as with a ventilator, if the breathing muscles are significantly involved.”
Petmd.com recommends identifying and detaching the ticks in order to prevent the further release of toxins and aggravating the symptoms even more. An insecticidal bath may be given to your dog to kill any ticks that may be hidden in your dog’s skin.
In extreme cases with respiratory paralysis, oxygen supplementation or some other form of artificial ventilation may be required to keep your dog breathing.
“If the dog is dehydrated, intravenous fluids will be given, along with medications that can be used to counter the effects of the toxins on the nervous system, and to relax the muscles enough so that the dog can breathe,” petmd.com states.
What Can Be Done to Prevent Tick Bite Paralysis?
If you are planning to visit or currently live in a tick-contaminated area, the easiest way to help prevent your pooch from contracting tick paralysis is to groom and examine him after any outings or outdoor visits.
If you happen to be fortunate enough to spot a tick on your dog before it releases the toxin, be sure to remove it as soon as possible to prevent the disease. If you suspect that your dog has already been bitten, save the tick and contact your vet.
Vetinfo.com recommends using an anti-tick collar, sprays or rinses. “The spot-on-the-neck kind of lotion could also be an alternative, repelling the ticks that might already be in the dog’s fur. Anti-tick shampoos are efficient but you have to keep in mind that frequent use can cause the skin to dry and become irritated.”
You can also purchase an oral insecticide, which is extremely efficient and safe because the substances are eliminated through your dog’s skin.
If you live in an area with high tick infestations, be sure to use products that contain permethrins, as well as tick collars containing the active ingredient amitraz.
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Find A Vet HOW TO articles are intended for informational purposes only. You should always consult with your veterinarian about any health issues affecting your dog.
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