Gav_71

After reading the devastating saga of Toby, I am really beginning to wonder if I should bring my cats. Am getting awfully paranoid now.

Any feedback from cat / dog owners regarding ticks on Gold Coast? I know they are present but how likely is a pet to contract them in a back yard enclosure?

Gav

PS If Toby's folks read this, I really am truly sorry for your loss. Totally understand how u must be feeling and my heart goes out to u all!

Simba

We have 2 cats and a dog and treat them with frontline every 2 weeks to prevent problems with ticks so far so good.

Hel&Will

Hi

I have the same concerns with my dogs - its not only snakes and spiders I will have to look out for! Although everyone I mentioned paralysis ticks to in Canberra said they had never heard of them so didn't think they were a problem there. What nasty little creatures. The one thing I know for sure I will miss when we move in January will be our lovely long walks in the english countryside and forrests.

Helen

biggy

Daily inspection of your animals is enough to find any ticks...and try and keep them out of long grass. ticks like it in there

Timber Floor Au

We have 7 dogs, Newfoundlands.. so a giant breed !!

On the southside, we had bought a 5 acre block with house, formerly used for a few cows, and a donkey called Wan Hungh Lo .. pmsl true...

Our dogs had ticks real bad, at times, we would be de ticking them approx 3 times per day !!
Frontline was costing a fortune. even considered a sheep dip !!!

Most ticks are just ticks, paralysis ticks are there but very rare.

Frontline is ok, on shorter coated animals, but can be slightly shite with long haired breeds.

Steer clear from, pre cattle country, ex dairy, ex horses, small dams, and long grass... buy a few scrub turkeys, and keep your animals hair as short as poss...


However on the north side, on our block.. we havent had a single tick yet, touch wood !!!

One of our dogs Bella, still has a tick embedded in her skull.. the vet has said its possibly worth just leaving it, if she isnt symptomatic of tick fever. paralysis or in discomfort !

Feels like a nipple lol !!

Having removed over 10,000 ticks in the year and a half we lived on this property from our dogs, I can categorically state, bware of what you are buying and where !!

In town, tick issues are extremely rare !!

Possums are said to be major taxi driver for ticks.. along with dingoes, and perhaps roos... not too sure on that tho


Steve

annqldau

Our dogs one small and one large get frontlined frequently but small one has had paralysis ticks on him a few times and been fine without the post tick antivenom of sorts injection etc.. But the injection itself apparently can kill your dog and if they catch tick soon after it is more likely to kill your dog than if it hadn't had the tick vaccination. So basicaly like Timber we remove any ticks found asap. Our vet says it's like redbacks some dogs react and some don't depends on their sensitivity to the tick. Plus don't forget the dreaded cane toad risk and also the heartworm that you need to give either tablets or get the yearly injection for.

As for the cat it's survival chances turned out to be no better in Britain as it was ran over a week before we emigrated so Kismet kicked in, like humans in Aus all animals take there chances. We've come to a well known dangerous place so we just have to be cautious whilst trying to have a life at the same time.

arkon

Don't worry about snakes and spiders, the only thing to worry about here is Paralysis ticks and they are everywhere. Frontline, shave them and wear preventic collars. THEN feel them all over after each walk. A tick can kill within 3 days if you don't find it in time. At the first sign of a cough or lame back legs get them to the vets asap and be prepared for an overnight stay and a huge bill.

edit* Get a pair of Guinea fowls, they stay around your house and eat ticks, shite everywhere but at least the ticks are gone.

Hel&Will

Thanks Arkon

Unfortunately I won't shave them as I am hoping to show my dogs when I get to Oz and Irish/Red Setters don't look too glamourous with shaved coats! What a bind all the checking, frontlining etc etc will be - not had a tick in over 20 years here in the South of England, no visible fleas either in the last 3 years! I have read that paralysis ticks are only around during the summer months in the less tropical regions - is this true?

many thanks

Helen

annqldau

They tend to increase in numbers in summer like fleas but always a risk. Some dogs can build up an immunity with exposure to ticks over time.
There's lots of info on gov and vet sites.

arkon

Yes, from now till April. They are around all the time, but summer they are much worse so your more likely to get one then. Keep your grass short and don't let them walk in the bush. Basically they are carried by the local wildlife like possoms etc, so avoid places that have lots of native mamals with your dogs.

My dog actually likes a good feel so loves being checked, but it is a right royal pain in the butt.

jad n rich

We use the preventic tic collar. Sometimes on special in discount chemists at $6.95. Still check daily and keep coats short in summer to help speed up the daily search but since using preventic hardly ever get them, in the past we were removing several per summer per dog. Change the collars every 6 weeks and take off when dogs are swimming.

snowbunny

Keep them indoors. Makes a world of difference.

Timber Floor Au

PMSL !!!

snowbunny

Well it's true.... my cats are indoors. When I was young, we didn't have AC so had to keep windows open, and the cats suffered terribly from ticks and fleas even though they almost never went out.

Today, with central air con, we have two indoors-only cats (who only go outside when they escape!) and I've yet to find a single flea or tick on them and no, we don't use collars or medicines.

annqldau

Makes for a boring world for owner and pet...