Paralysis Ticks..

[sheena]

Proban has been discontinued cause the manufacturer says it can't source the main ingredient. Strange, it is still being produced overseas.

[Clyde]

Symptoms can show up to a week later so keep your pup quiet.

Given the size of the ticks I don't think you will have any problems though.

[dotdashdot]

Proban has been discontinued cause the manufacturer says it can't source the main ingredient. Strange, it is still being produced overseas.

I've heard the "main ingredient" line too (working in a petstore), I've also heard that it's the "greenies" (workmates term) blocking the importation of that ingredient or Proban containing that ingredient. Our last bottles of Proban have sold - it seems to be the only thing that no one complained about not working.

I use Advantix, have never had a tick thank goodness, but we walk through a bush track to the beach which DOES have para ticks. Life would be lovely without those pesky ticks.

[AshleyB]

Symptoms can show up to a week later so keep your pup quiet.

I just want to back up this comment. A few weeks ago I took a tick of my boy on the Tuesday evening and it was not until the Friday that he started to show signs of tick poisoning (breathing difficulty, not being able to jump up...) Do not think you are safe just yet. Please be very cautious, keep checking your puppy, put Frontline on it and keep the puppy very quiet. It can take some time for the poison to be fully released into the body.

Good luck and I hope that your puppy is just fine.

ETA: Yes, my boy did have Advantix on him. It had been applied a week before I found the tick.

Edited November 1, 2011 by AshleyB

[Red Fox]

Well it's been 3 days and so far so good. I'm still keeping a very close eye on her, rechecking her all over several times per day and had another check up this morning with my regular vet, but looks like she will be okay. Very lucky that we got to it early!

[kosmology]

Well it's been 3 days and so far so good. I'm still keeping a very close eye on her, rechecking her all over several times per day and had another check up this morning with my regular vet, but looks like she will be okay. Very lucky that we got to it early!

I'm really happy for you...

My dog had a big tick on her a couple of years ago. We used Frontline Plus every two weeks, but due to her long coat failed to spot the tick on her ribcage, until it was almost fully engorged. I removed it and rang the vets. Can you believe they told me to just keep an eye on her until she showed any symptoms. I lived in northern NSW at the time, in a relatively remote area, so only had two vets within a 30km radius to choose from. I was also 6 months pregnant! I insisted on her receiving the anti-venine - before the sign of symptoms. They begrudgingly did so, and I took her home immediately after administration because they wanted to keep her o'night, however no-one would be there to monitor her!!!! In fact, I had to barge into the rear of the surgery and whisk her away, fighting off the vet in the carpark as I did so. In the end I didn't have to pay for any of the 'treatment', and that vet was soon discharged from the practice. My dog had very slight symptoms over the next 24hrs, lethargy mostly, which could have been from the anti-venine, however I didn't have to stress too much, waiting for potentially severe symptoms to arise (which would also cost stacks more $). Vets make more $ out of very sick dogs!

One must note - the tick poison is released on removal of the tick. The act of the tick detatching from the animal causes it to release the venom!!!

Edited November 2, 2011 by kosmology

[Clyde]

I insisted on her receiving the anti-venine - before the sign of symptoms. They begrudgingly did so,

I'm not surprised it was done begrudgingly. The antivenin alone can make a dog very sick and give them long lasting side effects. I would not ever opt to do that unless it was a last resort. "Just in case" doesn't warrant what the antivenin can do to your pets system.

You seem very bitter about veterinarians.

[Sayly]

I insisted on her receiving the anti-venine - before the sign of symptoms. They begrudgingly did so,

I'm not surprised it was done begrudgingly. The antivenin alone can make a dog very sick and give them long lasting side effects. I would not ever opt to do that unless it was a last resort. "Just in case" doesn't warrant what the antivenin can do to your pets system.

You seem very bitter about veterinarians.

I agree.

[sheena]

Well it's been 3 days and so far so good. I'm still keeping a very close eye on her, rechecking her all over several times per day and had another check up this morning with my regular vet, but looks like she will be okay. Very lucky that we got to it early!

I'm really happy for you...

My dog had a big tick on her a couple of years ago. We used Frontline Plus every two weeks, but due to her long coat failed to spot the tick on her ribcage, until it was almost fully engorged. I removed it and rang the vets. Can you believe they told me to just keep an eye on her until she showed any symptoms. I lived in northern NSW at the time, in a relatively remote area, so only had two vets within a 30km radius to choose from. I was also 6 months pregnant! I insisted on her receiving the anti-venine - before the sign of symptoms. They begrudgingly did so, and I took her home immediately after administration because they wanted to keep her o'night, however no-one would be there to monitor her!!!! In fact, I had to barge into the rear of the surgery and whisk her away, fighting off the vet in the carpark as I did so. In the end I didn't have to pay for any of the 'treatment', and that vet was soon discharged from the practice. My dog had very slight symptoms over the next 24hrs, lethargy mostly, which could have been from the anti-venine, however I didn't have to stress too much, waiting for potentially severe symptoms to arise (which would also cost stacks more $). Vets make more $ out of very sick dogs!

One must note - the tick poison is released on removal of the tick. The act of the tick detatching from the animal causes it to release the venom!!!

When you have lived with paralysis ticks for thirty odd years, like we have on a farm....the idea of giving your dog antivenom, just because you found a tick on it is ridiculous & could well have compromised your dogs life. I have never heard of the tick releasing the venom upon removal either. If you put something on it to kill it, it will, or if you squeeze it, it probably will, but if you remove it correctly & quickly there is no possible way the tick can give more venom. The only dog that I have had that got symptoms hours after removal was when the owner (my daughter) insisted on killing the tick first with tea tree oil. I don't envy the job of vets & their staff, sometimes dealing with some people You must have felt good when you got away without paying & felt extra good when the vet lost his job because he cared about your dog's well being. I am sorry, but this post made me see red

[Miss B]

Can you believe they told me to just keep an eye on her until she showed any symptoms.

This is standard practice, actually. Nothing unusual about it at all.

however I didn't have to stress too much, waiting for potentially severe symptoms to arise (which would also cost stacks more $). Vets make more $ out of very sick dogs!

Do you honestly believe that the vet actually wants you to take your dog home, wait for it to show 'severe' symptoms and then return for treatment in order for them to make more money out of you? Some people have a very strange grasp of reality...

One must note - the tick poison is released on removal of the tick. The act of the tick detatching from the animal causes it to release the venom!!!

Old wives tale.

[kosmology]

By the way, my dog was dry-reaching (a couple of hours after I removed the tick) - something she never does.

Would you believe it was a vet (from NSW) that told me the venom is released when the tick detaches?

I met a lady in the supermarket one day (in northern NSW) that told me she pulled 5 Paralysis ticks off her cat at once. She said she didn't take him to the vet, and he was lucky to be alive because if he had've got sick she would've thrown him in the (Clarence) river!! I was shocked by that!

And please, check you dog/s everyday for Paralysis ticks! I believe they have become so prevalent now in many areas on the East coast that they are a year-round problem.

[tyche]

that vet was soon discharged from the practice.

Probably discharged for endangering your dog by administering antivenine when not required, allowing it to be taken home, and not getting payment for the very expensive medication. Hope they didn't tell the other vet near you, or you'll find yourself having to travel more than 30kms to find a vet in future.

[Clyde]

Would you believe it was a vet (from NSW) that told me the venom is released when the tick detaches?

Studies have shown that the tick releases different amounts of venom depending on the method of eradicating it. I have also read a paper saying that dogs who had a tick killed by poison sprayed on it take longer to recover than dogs who have the tick quickly pulled out. Interesting stuff. I simply quickly pull the tick out so I don't believe that any more poison would be injected to such an extent that it's detrimental to the dog (more than what the dog has already received).

I don't know if your comment is a wives tale or not, but it makes sense to be true if someone was killing the tick slowly and/or couldn't get it off quickly. (Not that this is the only time the poison is released but more would be released through a sloppy removal).

[kosmology]

I just dug up the paperwork involved in my 'case'. Wow, it was quite complicated. Far more complicated to try and explain all the reasons behind my motivations in relation to the welfare of my dog that day. So I will just add a couple more facts FYI. Take it as you please.

1. Cost of the Tick Anti-serum: $92.40

2. After writing to the clinic, the owner of the clinic wrote back, stating "I (have) instructed the staff that your bill was to be zeroed as a goodwill gesture, therefore we do not want payment for (your dog's) treatment".

3.The owner stated "We will look into having nurses admit the tick patients immediately in future...".

4. I informed the next vet I utilised, another local vet who knew of the practice in question, and she had a certain degree of empathy for the experience I went through. The vet practice, and vet, in question was in fact accruing an undesirable reputation amongst the community.

5. The vet I had to deal with on the day left of his own accord. The day he dealt his treatment out to me, he voiced to me his disapproval of his "new boss".

I will not divulge anymore info' regarding my 'case' to DOLers. I will not make assumptions regarding anyone's personal experiences. I will certainly not feign support for an annonymous 'professional', by attacking a 'client' that went through a traumatic experience.

The negative opinions of DOLers in relation to my posts in this thread do not concern me. The lives of my animals do concern me, and considering my dog did not reach a state of even mild paralysis, I would say MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!!!!!

Now, back to the original topic of the thread. My advice regarding Paralysis ticks is to relocate your beloved family to a State/Country where Paralysis ticks do not occur. Will anyone try to rip me apart for THAT?!?