As we move further into spring, now is the time to start thinking about tick season and how to protect your beloved furry friend from these potentially deadly pests.

Tick season runs from September to May in Australia, and during this time vets see a sharp increase in the number of dogs being rushed to hospital with tick bites.

Since it was discovered this year in Queensland, dog owners have been on high alert for ehrlichiosis, a deadly bacteria spread by brown ticks.

During tick season last year, the disease first occurred in Western Australia; however, it has subsequently been discovered for the first time in some areas of Queensland.

According to Dr Karishma Dahia, a veterinarian with the Animal Welfare League, there's a genuine potential that it may spread to all parts of Australia, which is why it is so crucial to maintain tick prevention measures.

'Because of the risk of it potentially going undetected, there is a real risk of it being spread through the dog population,' she said.

In Australia, the tick season lasts from September to May, and during this period, veterinarians notice a substantial rise in the number of dogs being sent to the hospital with tick bites. Credit: Antonio_Diaz/Getty Images/iStockphoto.​

New statistics from the Australian Paralysis Tick Advisory Panel also suggested that only 48 per cent of dogs in paralysis tick-prone regions in Australia are protected against ticks.

In the previous two years, this fell by 5 per cent.

Additionally, around 10,000 pets are hospitalised each year with tick bites – an average of one every 20 minutes.

Sadly, not all of these animals make it home again. Ticks are responsible for the deaths of hundreds of dogs every year in Australia.

Ticks are carriers of many diseases that can be fatal to humans and animals if left untreated.

It's crucial that you know how to spot them on your dog and what signs to look out for if they've been bitten.

It is also worth noting that while veterinarians advise all dog owners to make sure their pets are safeguarded regardless of where they live, some regions are more at risk than others.

Ticks are commonly found in areas close to dense vegetation, along rivers, or on the shore, eg. close to national parks.

According to NexGard Spectra Australia, there are distinct places along the nation's east coast where paralysis and bush ticks are a problem.

A large portion of the eastern states of the nation, including NSW, QLD, VIC, NT, and SA, are regarded as hotspots for brown ticks.

Additionally, some parts of the coast of Western Australia are also thought to be brown tick hotspots.

So, if you're worried that your dog might've gotten bitten by a tick, here are some tips for how to check:

1. Feel for any lumps by gently running your fingertips along the coat at the level of the skin.
2. Check between and under the toes as you move down the front legs to the paws, starting at the head and neck and paying special attention to the mouth and ears. Check the back legs, tail, back, belly, and chest.
3. Check underneath the collar to see if there are any ticks there before removing it.

We love our pets. They bring us joy, companionship, and unconditional love. In return, we want to make sure they are happy and healthy at all times. That's why we ensure to provide them with the best possible care, including regular check-ups and preventive screenings. By doing all of this, we can help our furry friends enjoy long, happy, and healthy lives.

So, there you have it, folks! Feel free to share this article with your friends and loved ones who own dogs so they can be best informed about the threats posed by tick season.

 

[LaniK]

We have lived in paralysis tick areas for most of our lives and always make sure that our dogs are protected. We spend a bit of money on Seresta tick collars. They are thin and albiet not cheap, cross fingers we have never had a tick on our little ones apart from the time that we went over the time period just by a simple error, for the life time of the collar. The tick was in her black lip and we were lucky to save her. Our llittle one has long hair and we always mark on the calendar when the collar is due to be changed. It states that it has 4 month tick prevention, but we change at 3 months just to be safe.

 

[EILEEN W]

As we move further into spring, now is the time to start thinking about tick season and how to protect your beloved furry friend from these potentially deadly pests.

Tick season runs from September to May in Australia, and during this time vets see a sharp increase in the number of dogs being rushed to hospital with tick bites.

Since it was discovered this year in Queensland, dog owners have been on high alert for ehrlichiosis, a deadly bacteria spread by brown ticks.

During tick season last year, the disease first occurred in Western Australia; however, it has subsequently been discovered for the first time in some areas of Queensland.

According to Dr Karishma Dahia, a veterinarian with the Animal Welfare League, there's a genuine potential that it may spread to all parts of Australia, which is why it is so crucial to maintain tick prevention measures.

'Because of the risk of it potentially going undetected, there is a real risk of it being spread through the dog population,' she said.

In Australia, the tick season lasts from September to May, and during this period, veterinarians notice a substantial rise in the number of dogs being sent to the hospital with tick bites. Credit: Antonio_Diaz/Getty Images/iStockphoto.​

New statistics from the Australian Paralysis Tick Advisory Panel also suggested that only 48 per cent of dogs in paralysis tick-prone regions in Australia are protected against ticks.

In the previous two years, this fell by 5 per cent.

Additionally, around 10,000 pets are hospitalised each year with tick bites – an average of one every 20 minutes.

Sadly, not all of these animals make it home again. Ticks are responsible for the deaths of hundreds of dogs every year in Australia.

Ticks are carriers of many diseases that can be fatal to humans and animals if left untreated.

It's crucial that you know how to spot them on your dog and what signs to look out for if they've been bitten.

It is also worth noting that while veterinarians advise all dog owners to make sure their pets are safeguarded regardless of where they live, some regions are more at risk than others.

Ticks are commonly found in areas close to dense vegetation, along rivers, or on the shore, eg. close to national parks.

According to NexGard Spectra Australia, there are distinct places along the nation's east coast where paralysis and bush ticks are a problem.

A large portion of the eastern states of the nation, including NSW, QLD, VIC, NT, and SA, are regarded as hotspots for brown ticks.

Additionally, some parts of the coast of Western Australia are also thought to be brown tick hotspots.

So, if you're worried that your dog might've gotten bitten by a tick, here are some tips for how to check:

1. Feel for any lumps by gently running your fingertips along the coat at the level of the skin.
2. Check between and under the toes as you move down the front legs to the paws, starting at the head and neck and paying special attention to the mouth and ears. Check the back legs, tail, back, belly, and chest.
3. Check underneath the collar to see if there are any ticks there before removing it.

We love our pets. They bring us joy, companionship, and unconditional love. In return, we want to make sure they are happy and healthy at all times. That's why we ensure to provide them with the best possible care, including regular check-ups and preventive screenings. By doing all of this, we can help our furry friends enjoy long, happy, and healthy lives.

So, there you have it, folks! Feel free to share this article with your friends and loved ones who own dogs so they can be best informed about the threats posed by tick season.

Not only have we had one of our beloved dogs die of tick bite despite being vaccinated, we almost lost our daughter who became paralysed and infected following a tick bite. She was put in an induced coma and her swollen body packed in ice for a police escorted ambulance journey from Gympie Hospital to Brisbane where she was in intensive care for two weeks. She spent several months before she could walk properly. It is thought she caught typhus from the tick which had previously bitten a tropical bird. We will never know.

 

[Bricat]

Hi All,

I'm always wary of commercial companies which spread these infomercials for commercial advantage. Thye want you to buy their product and nothing else. As far as I know ticks are not a problem in SA. (I was very aware of them when I lived on the mid-north coast of NSW years ago, but haven't been warned once about them by a vet since I've been back in SA for over 20 years). I would like to see the evidence base to this article please before I decide if its relevant to me. and interesting that none is supplied or referenced. Senior Discounts please make sure the articles you reproduce are scientifically sound and not just dressed up commercial advertising - many people do not know the difference. Thank you.

 

[Sloopy]

Hi All,

I'm always wary of commercial companies which spread these infomercials for commercial advantage. Thye want you to buy their product and nothing else. As far as I know ticks are not a problem in SA. (I was very aware of them when I lived on the mid-north coast of NSW years ago, but haven't been warned once about them by a vet since I've been back in SA for over 20 years). I would like to see the evidence base to this article please before I decide if its relevant to me. and interesting that none is supplied or referenced. Senior Discounts please make sure the articles you reproduce are scientifically sound and not just dressed up commercial advertising - many people do not know the difference. Thank you.

News of this disease has been being circulated among the canine-loving community since the first identifications of it, and there have beeen a couple of general media articles about it.. Until now, I had not seen anything put out by any commercial enterprise regarding it.

As to not being vulnerable to ticks based on your location, you're lucky, but I suggest periodically checking with vets, as that can change. Canberra, for example, was always known as being safe from ticks, but that has been changing in recent years, due to (it is speculated) the combined effects of changes in weather patterns and increased movement of people and animals to and from tick-prone areas. A friend who lives down there ended up with a hefty bill to save her dog's life because until the dog became seriously enough ill to be taken to the vet it didn't occur to anyone to look for a tick.

 

[Ezzy]

Not only have we had one of our beloved dogs die of tick bite despite being vaccinated, we almost lost our daughter who became paralysed and infected following a tick bite. She was put in an induced coma and her swollen body packed in ice for a police escorted ambulance journey from Gympie Hospital to Brisbane where she was in intensive care for two weeks. She spent several months before she could walk properly. It is thought she caught typhus from the tick which had previously bitten a tropical bird. We will never know.

Sorry to hear you nearly lost your daughter. This would have been a scarry experience. Good to hear she made a recovery. Sad to hear you lost your furbaby. Most of us think of them as family too, don't we? Good warning for us all. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Tervueren]

Hi All,

I'm always wary of commercial companies which spread these infomercials for commercial advantage. Thye want you to buy their product and nothing else. As far as I know ticks are not a problem in SA. (I was very aware of them when I lived on the mid-north coast of NSW years ago, but haven't been warned once about them by a vet since I've been back in SA for over 20 years). I would like to see the evidence base to this article please before I decide if its relevant to me. and interesting that none is supplied or referenced. Senior Discounts please make sure the articles you reproduce are scientifically sound and not just dressed up commercial advertising - many people do not know the difference. Thank you.

Hear Hear Bricat - you do not want to go administering chemical products to Man's Best Friend if they do not need them!! Cheers for the reminder