How to Check Your Dog for Ticks and Recognise Paralysis Warning Signs
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By Dr Duncan Houston
A tick can be easy to miss beneath a thick coat or behind an ear. In Australian paralysis-tick areas, a careful daily search is an important part of prevention, even when your dog receives a tick-control medicine. Looking only at the surface of the fur is not enough.
Quick Answer
Use your fingertips to feel the skin systematically from nose to tail, including folds, feet and areas beneath the collar. Remove an attached tick promptly with an appropriate tool and contact your vet for advice, especially where paralysis ticks occur. A changed bark, gagging, wobbliness or breathing difficulty is an emergency, even after a tick has been removed.
Why local tick risk matters
Different ticks cause different problems. Some transmit infections, while Australian paralysis ticks produce a toxin that affects nerve and muscle function. Risk varies with location, travel, season and tick species; an overseas discussion of Lyme disease may not describe the main danger in your area.
Paralysis ticks occur along much of Australia’s east coast and in some inland areas. They can be present beyond the warmer months. Ask your local vet about the places you live and visit, and do not assume an urban garden is tick-free. RSPCA NSW’s tick guidance explains the importance of daily checks and rapid action.
How to perform a thorough search
- Choose a calm, well-lit place. Keep your dog secure and comfortable. Work slowly, using rewards if appropriate.
- Start at the head. Feel around the nose, lips, face and outer ear surfaces. Inspect near the eyes carefully without touching the eye itself.
- Check beneath the collar. Remove it only in a secure area and examine the neck and skin folds.
- Work across the body in overlapping sections. Use your fingertips against the skin, not just a brush over the coat. Check shoulders, back, sides, chest and belly.
- Search every limb and foot. Include armpits, groin, between toes and around pads.
- Finish around the tail and hindquarters. Check beneath the tail and around the anus, then repeat any difficult area you may have missed.
Part the fur around any lump to identify it. Nipples, scabs and skin growths can be mistaken for ticks, so do not pull at an unidentified bump. Ask your vet for help with a painful area, a tick near an eye or ear canal, or a dog who cannot tolerate examination safely.
If you find an attached tick
Remove it promptly if you can do so safely. With fine-tipped tweezers, grasp close to the skin at the mouthparts and pull steadily without squeezing the swollen body. A purpose-made tick tool may use a different movement, so follow that tool’s instructions. Do not burn the tick or coat it in chemicals, oil or petroleum jelly.
Keep the tick in a secure container for identification and record where and when your dog may have been exposed. Ask the clinic how they would like it stored. Wash your hands and gently clean the skin. If mouthparts remain, do not dig into the skin; obtain advice.
RSPCA ACT describes practical tick searching and removal. Keep searching after finding one, because several ticks can attach. A crater-like attachment mark may remain after a tick has detached and is worth reporting.
Emergency signs of tick paralysis
| What you notice | What to do |
|---|---|
| Changed bark, gagging, retching or unusual drooling | Contact a vet immediately and mention tick exposure |
| Wobbly back legs, weakness or difficulty standing | Keep your dog quiet and arrange emergency transport |
| Noisy, laboured or altered breathing | Seek emergency care without delay |
| A suspected paralysis tick, even without symptoms | Remove promptly if safe and contact the vet immediately for a plan |
Do not wait overnight or wait to find a tick before calling. Signs can worsen after removal because toxin effects continue. Keep your dog calm, minimise walking and do not give food, water or oral medicines if paralysis is suspected unless the vet instructs you; swallowing may be unsafe. A quick search should not delay transport for breathing difficulty.
Tick paralysis can require antiserum, hospital monitoring and breathing support. RSPCA Queensland’s tick information reinforces the need for veterinary care when signs appear.
Prevention and follow-up
Use a veterinary-recommended product that covers the relevant tick species and is suitable for your dog’s age, weight and health. Follow its actual dosing interval and instructions; flea coverage does not always mean adequate tick coverage. Never apply a dog product to a cat unless it is specifically labelled for that use, as some ingredients can be fatal to cats.
Daily checks remain important in risk areas. Keep vegetation manageable, avoid known tick-heavy scrub where possible and review protection before travel. Report fever, lethargy, lameness, bruising or other illness after tick exposure, because tick-associated infections may appear later.
Frequently asked questions
Do I still search if my dog takes a tick preventive?
Yes. No prevention routine makes careful checks unnecessary in paralysis-tick areas.
Can I identify a paralysis tick from its colour?
Not reliably. Appearance changes with feeding and life stage. Get professional identification and act on symptoms promptly.
Is my dog safe as soon as the tick is removed?
Not necessarily. Paralysis can worsen after removal, and other tick-associated illnesses may develop later.
Should I twist a tick out?
Use the method specified for your tool. Fine-tipped tweezers generally use steady traction close to the skin; some purpose-made tools are designed to rotate.
A consistent whole-body search, effective prevention and early recognition of illness work together to reduce risk.
For help planning tick prevention or organising questions for your local vet, visit ASK A VET™. Suspected tick paralysis requires emergency veterinary care.
