I just thought I would start a thread on the topic of cats and dogs and in particular Paralysis Ticks.

We have been living on the Sunshine Coast for two months now and we arranged for our cat to follow on after us. He arrived two and a half weeks ago. He has settled in really well and didn't seem to suffer to much during the long journey here and his stay in quarantine. We started to let him go out for a short time in the day about a week ago.

However, night before last, in the space of 2 hours, he went from being like a playful kitten (although he is 10 years old) to nearly gone. He couldn't walk and he couldn't breath.

Took him to the vets who knew straight away he had been attacked by this paralysis tick which apparently is rife in Queensland. I feel such a fool because I knew nothing about it, and wasn't advised by anyone such as my vet back in the UK or any of companies I used to transport him to here.

He has been kept sedated now for 24 hours and has been given a serum to neutralise the effects of the poison, which for the last few days will have been causing the paralysis in his legs and in his throat, making breathing difficult for him, and it will also have been damaging his heart.

I have just phoned the vet and they have said he is much brighter this morning and although he still can't stand, if he does stand today, we may get him home tonight. He is a long haired cat (or was), the vet had to shave him totally to ensure all ticks were removed.

I just felt that other people should look into whether these ticks are present in the areas you intend to live. We live near to rainforest and apparently all marsupials and bush turkeys carry them. They jump off and then jump on another host.

Apparently the animals do become immune to them after a while and in the meantime, you should use Frontline Topspot (flee stuff) every two weeks. Also there is a tablet which the vet can supply which should be taken (by the cat) every other day. These are both for flees but they say work just as well to deter the ticks.

Sorry to here about your cat I hope she is o.k. I haven't heard about this tick either, do you know if dogs are effected by it?
Tracie

Hi Tracie

Apparently it does affect dogs as well and just as nasty. We are hoping our cat will be okay, what lasting effects it will have on him, we will have to wait and see. The tablet is called Proban and I think you have to get it from a vet. You also have to have a daily search for the ticks.

As I said our cat is long haired and only that day I had really given him a good brushing and never saw anything.

Thanks for that I'll keep it in mind for when we bring our dog over. Do we treat her before we come over or is it OK to wait till we are there.
Tracie

I think they are checked and treated for fleas before they leave the UK and then again in quarantine. It is something our cat hasn't had trouble with (even though he is long haired). Regular combing, flea collar and washing his bedding seemed to do the trick for us. Apart from putting a new flea collar on when he got here, I didn't think to do anything else.

The Proban leaflet does state however .... "If, you are taking your dog into a tick area while travelling, you should start treatment one week before departure. Continue treatment while in the tick area and for one week after returning home"

Here's a guide to Ixodes holocyclus and where he lives http://www.tickalert.org.au/ixholdet.htm

Would advise anybody coming over to consult a local vet early, we UK vets were taught v little on sub-tropical Oz diseases, and there is no recommended advice list at the UK end for exporting.

Dog owners be aware of heartworm.