Those of us who are lucky enough to have a pet know that they quickly become part of the family. They bring us happiness, company, and unconditional love – but they also come with a lot of responsibility.

One of the most important things we have to do as pet owners is to keep them healthy and safe from harm, and that includes protecting them from parasites like fleas and ticks.

Sadly, it seems like our furry friends are at greater risk than ever before, as a recent report has revealed that there is currently a shortage of tick antitoxin serum throughout Australia.

This could leave many pets vulnerable to potentially life-threatening illnesses this summer if we're not careful.

There is a national shortage of tick antitoxin serum, according to leading veterinarians. Credit: 9News.

Greencross Vets, the biggest veterinary services provider in Australia, warns that stock of antitoxin serum is dwindling on the east coast and across the country, and might lead to severe complications as the humid weather takes hold and causes tick populations to surge.

Dr Magdoline Awad, the company's Chief Veterinary Officer, explained: 'This is a serious situation unfolding, and we are very concerned about the risk to pets as tick serum supplies are rapidly diminishing.'

'We want pet owners to be aware that ticks can be life-threatening, and any pets who are not currently protected by a preventative treatment need to be immediate.'

'This is a very preventable disease. There are many tick preventatives available that provide excellent protection for dogs and cats, which are easy to administer and may save your pet's life,' she went on to say.

AVSL (Australian Veterinary Serum Laboratories), one of the leading suppliers of antitoxin serum, released a statement saying that while supplies of the antitoxin serum may seem scarce, they will be stocked plenty during the summer.

A representative for AVSL said that while antitoxin serum supplies were 'tight', the company did not encourage pet owners to stockpile the drug. 'We don't want people stockpiling it like toilet paper,' they quipped.

They also suggested that cost-of-living difficulties may be to blame for people not maintaining treatment schedules, and tick prevention may not have been a top priority for many pet owners, particularly those affected by recent flooding.

Key Takeaways

• Australia's leading veterinary services company, Greencross Vets, reported a shortage of tick antitoxin serums.
• A rise in tick populations brought on by the wet weather on Australia's eastern coast is to blame.
• Tick bites can be life-threatening for pets, so it's important to keep up with preventative treatments.

Here are some tips to keep in mind:

1. In places where ticks are common, keep all pets on a three-month treatment plan to lower their risk of contracting tick paralysis.
2. In addition to twice-monthly flea treatment, routine tick checks must be done every day if you live in a conservation area or you walk your dog every day among trees and grass in a suburb. This will help any monthly tick preventatives last longer.
3. Any ticks seen on a pet's skin must be removed IMMEDIATELY. This can be done with a tool or by hand. The sooner a tick is removed, the less chance your pet has of getting sick from it. You must ensure you remove it entirely though.
4. Consult with your local veterinarian if your pet exhibits any of the following signs:
   - Restlessness, limpness or weakness
   - Difficulty breathing, nasal or ocular discharge
   - Diarrhea or constipation
   - Fever
5. The only way to successfully treat ticks is to remove them completely, so it's crucial to keep an eye on your pet to make sure nothing goes wrong.

Tip

In one of our previous posts, we provided more information on how to protect your pets against ticks.

Tick-borne diseases are serious business, and can even be fatal. Make sure your furry friends don't get these nasty parasites by keeping an eye out for them and taking the right precautions.

What are your thoughts, members? Have you come across ticks on your daily walks? Share your experiences with us in the comments!

 

[Tervueren]

Those of us who are lucky enough to have a pet know that they quickly become part of the family. They bring us happiness, company, and unconditional love – but they also come with a lot of responsibility.

One of the most important things we have to do as pet owners is to keep them healthy and safe from harm, and that includes protecting them from parasites like fleas and ticks.

Sadly, it seems like our furry friends are at greater risk than ever before, as a recent report has revealed that there is currently a shortage of tick antitoxin serum throughout Australia.

This could leave many pets vulnerable to potentially life-threatening illnesses this summer if we're not careful.

View attachment 8598

There is a national shortage of tick antitoxin serum, according to leading veterinarians. Credit: 9News.

Greencross Vets, the biggest veterinary services provider in Australia, warns that stock of antitoxin serum is dwindling on the east coast and across the country, and might lead to severe complications as the humid weather takes hold and causes tick populations to surge.

Dr Magdoline Awad, the company's Chief Veterinary Officer, explained: 'This is a serious situation unfolding, and we are very concerned about the risk to pets as tick serum supplies are rapidly diminishing.'

'We want pet owners to be aware that ticks can be life-threatening, and any pets who are not currently protected by a preventative treatment need to be immediate.'

'This is a very preventable disease. There are many tick preventatives available that provide excellent protection for dogs and cats, which are easy to administer and may save your pet's life,' she went on to say.

AVSL (Australian Veterinary Serum Laboratories), one of the leading suppliers of antitoxin serum, released a statement saying that while supplies of the antitoxin serum may seem scarce, they will be stocked plenty during the summer.

A representative for AVSL said that while antitoxin serum supplies were 'tight', the company did not encourage pet owners to stockpile the drug. 'We don't want people stockpiling it like toilet paper,' they quipped.

They also suggested that cost-of-living difficulties may be to blame for people not maintaining treatment schedules, and tick prevention may not have been a top priority for many pet owners, particularly those affected by recent flooding.

Key Takeaways

• Australia's leading veterinary services company, Greencross Vets, reported a shortage of tick antitoxin serums.
• A rise in tick populations brought on by the wet weather on Australia's eastern coast is to blame.
• Tick bites can be life-threatening for pets, so it's important to keep up with preventative treatments.

Here are some tips to keep in mind:

1. In places where ticks are common, keep all pets on a three-month treatment plan to lower their risk of contracting tick paralysis.
2. In addition to twice-monthly flea treatment, routine tick checks must be done every day if you live in a conservation area or you walk your dog every day among trees and grass in a suburb. This will help any monthly tick preventatives last longer.
3. Any ticks seen on a pet's skin must be removed IMMEDIATELY. This can be done with a tool or by hand. The sooner a tick is removed, the less chance your pet has of getting sick from it. You must ensure you remove it entirely though.
4. Consult with your local veterinarian if your pet exhibits any of the following signs:
   - Restlessness, limpness or weakness
   - Difficulty breathing, nasal or ocular discharge
   - Diarrhea or constipation
   - Fever
5. The only way to successfully treat ticks is to remove them completely, so it's crucial to keep an eye on your pet to make sure nothing goes wrong.

Tip

In one of our previous posts, we provided more information on how to protect your pets against ticks.

Tick-borne diseases are serious business, and can even be fatal. Make sure your furry friends don't get these nasty parasites by keeping an eye out for them and taking the right precautions.

What are your thoughts, members? Have you come across ticks on your daily walks? Share your experiences with us in the comments!

Those of us who are lucky enough to have a pet know that they quickly become part of the family. They bring us happiness, company, and unconditional love – but they also come with a lot of responsibility.

One of the most important things we have to do as pet owners is to keep them healthy and safe from harm, and that includes protecting them from parasites like fleas and ticks.

Sadly, it seems like our furry friends are at greater risk than ever before, as a recent report has revealed that there is currently a shortage of tick antitoxin serum throughout Australia.

This could leave many pets vulnerable to potentially life-threatening illnesses this summer if we're not careful.

View attachment 8598

There is a national shortage of tick antitoxin serum, according to leading veterinarians. Credit: 9News.

Greencross Vets, the biggest veterinary services provider in Australia, warns that stock of antitoxin serum is dwindling on the east coast and across the country, and might lead to severe complications as the humid weather takes hold and causes tick populations to surge.

Dr Magdoline Awad, the company's Chief Veterinary Officer, explained: 'This is a serious situation unfolding, and we are very concerned about the risk to pets as tick serum supplies are rapidly diminishing.'

'We want pet owners to be aware that ticks can be life-threatening, and any pets who are not currently protected by a preventative treatment need to be immediate.'

'This is a very preventable disease. There are many tick preventatives available that provide excellent protection for dogs and cats, which are easy to administer and may save your pet's life,' she went on to say.

AVSL (Australian Veterinary Serum Laboratories), one of the leading suppliers of antitoxin serum, released a statement saying that while supplies of the antitoxin serum may seem scarce, they will be stocked plenty during the summer.

A representative for AVSL said that while antitoxin serum supplies were 'tight', the company did not encourage pet owners to stockpile the drug. 'We don't want people stockpiling it like toilet paper,' they quipped.

They also suggested that cost-of-living difficulties may be to blame for people not maintaining treatment schedules, and tick prevention may not have been a top priority for many pet owners, particularly those affected by recent flooding.

Key Takeaways

• Australia's leading veterinary services company, Greencross Vets, reported a shortage of tick antitoxin serums.
• A rise in tick populations brought on by the wet weather on Australia's eastern coast is to blame.
• Tick bites can be life-threatening for pets, so it's important to keep up with preventative treatments.

Here are some tips to keep in mind:

1. In places where ticks are common, keep all pets on a three-month treatment plan to lower their risk of contracting tick paralysis.
2. In addition to twice-monthly flea treatment, routine tick checks must be done every day if you live in a conservation area or you walk your dog every day among trees and grass in a suburb. This will help any monthly tick preventatives last longer.
3. Any ticks seen on a pet's skin must be removed IMMEDIATELY. This can be done with a tool or by hand. The sooner a tick is removed, the less chance your pet has of getting sick from it. You must ensure you remove it entirely though.
4. Consult with your local veterinarian if your pet exhibits any of the following signs:
   - Restlessness, limpness or weakness
   - Difficulty breathing, nasal or ocular discharge
   - Diarrhea or constipation
   - Fever
5. The only way to successfully treat ticks is to remove them completely, so it's crucial to keep an eye on your pet to make sure nothing goes wrong.

Tip

In one of our previous posts, we provided more information on how to protect your pets against ticks.

Tick-borne diseases are serious business, and can even be fatal. Make sure your furry friends don't get these nasty parasites by keeping an eye out for them and taking the right precautions.

What are your thoughts, members? Have you come across ticks on your daily walks? Share your experiences with us in the comments!

Thank you so much for sharing, it has reminded me to purchase some for my dog for the summer season!

 

[Liz]

Thank you for sharing this. Animal Welfare League warned us as well as our vet. No matter how short of money I get, I will always maintain flea and tick control for my cat. As an inside cat she is less likely but still prone to these horrible ticks. Very timely warning.

 

[Ricci]

A timely reminder to replenish my stock of flea and tick preventatives

 

[Tervueren]

Thank you so much for sharing, it has reminded me to purchase some for my dog for the summer season!

 

[Karaburung]

I completely agree with you about how pets quickly become part of the family. They're more than just animals - they're our companions, confidants, and playmates. And because they're so important to us, it's crucial that we keep them safe and healthy. I read an article on thepetproperty.com recently that talked about the importance of providing our furry friends with proper toys, especially hamsters. But speaking of safety, I was also alarmed to hear about the shortage of tick antitoxin serum in Australia. It's important to be extra vigilant in protecting our pets from fleas and ticks, especially during the summer months when they're more active.