Australian paralysis tick: what dog owners need to know
The Australian paralysis tick (Ixodes holocyclus) is the only common parasite in this country that routinely kills healthy adult pets. Found along the east coast in coastal bush, peak season spring and summer. Symptoms appear 3 to 5 days after attachment, weakness in the back legs first, then forelimbs, then breathing muscles. Even after the tick is removed, the toxin already in the body keeps working. Below: the tick search routine, what to do if symptoms have started, and what year-round prevention costs versus a single treated case.
Where in Australia is at risk
The paralysis tick lives along the east coast of Australia, from far north Queensland down to roughly the southern NSW border. Around 100 km inland is the rough edge of regular activity, though climate-driven range expansion is moving that line. Dogs walking in coastal bush, near bandicoots (the natural hosts), or visiting holiday areas during spring and summer are highest risk.
If you're in greater Sydney, Brisbane, the Sunshine Coast, the Northern Rivers, the Gold Coast, or any coastal-bush postcode, treat your dog as in tick country.
The 5-minute tick search after every walk
The single highest-value habit during peak season. After every bushland walk, run hands and eyes over the dog systematically:
- Behind and around the ears, including inside the ear flap
- Under the collar, both sides of the neck
- Around the eyes and muzzle
- Inside the lips and gums
- Between every toe, on top and bottom of the foot
- Under the legs (armpits and groin)
- Under the tail and around the anus
- Down the back and along the belly
Ticks rarely come singly. Find one, search for ten more before you stop. Larvae and nymphs are tiny (1 to 2 mm); adult engorging females reach pea-sized.
Recognising paralysis symptoms
The toxin moves through the lymph and blood, attacking the neuromuscular junction. Signs progress over hours once they start.
- Day 1. Subtle, change in voice or bark, slight wobble in back legs, occasional vomiting
- Day 1 to 2. Clear weakness in hind legs, struggling to stand, drooling, eye changes
- Day 2 to 3. Inability to stand, breathing difficulty, choking on water
- Day 3+. Respiratory paralysis, the dog stops being able to breathe
Cats progress similarly but often hide the early signs longer. Once symptoms are clear, every hour matters.
What to do if you find a tick or see symptoms
Two scenarios:
You found a tick on a dog with no symptoms
- Remove with a fine-tipped tool (Tick Twister, Tick Card, or pointed tweezers). Grasp at skin level, slow steady pull straight up. Don't twist, don't squeeze the body.
- Save the tick in a sealed container or zip-bag. Photograph it for your vet.
- Continue searching, find one, look for ten more.
- Watch for symptoms over the next 48 to 72 hours. Symptoms can appear up to a few days after the tick has been removed.
- If your dog isn't on registered tick prevention, start that day.
Your dog is showing symptoms
Drive to the nearest emergency vet immediately, ring ahead so antiserum is ready. The emergency vet Sydney guide has the closest 24-hour clinics by suburb. Even with the tick removed, antiserum is needed because the toxin already in the body keeps damaging neuromuscular function.
What treatment costs vs prevention
The maths is brutal. A year of prevention costs roughly the same as a single vial of antiserum, before hospitalisation. A single treated case typically costs 10 to 30 times the annual prevention bill. The flea, tick & parasite treatment guide covers the prevention products in detail.
Year-round prevention in tick country
The currently registered options that cover paralysis tick:
- Bravecto chews (12-week duration). Steady, low-effort.
- Simparica TRIO (monthly chew). Adds heartworm and intestinal worms.
- Nexgard Spectra (monthly chew). Similar profile to Simparica.
- Frontline Spray (every 3 weeks). The only option for puppies under 8 weeks.
- Bravecto Plus (cats, 2-month duration). Cats get less protection from most products, this one and Revolution Plus are the main options.
Tell people when not to gamble: paralysis tick activity drops in winter but doesn't stop. Two-month gaps mid-winter are how dogs get bitten in August. Year-round in tick country, no exceptions.
Straight answers
Where in Australia are paralysis ticks found?
The east coast, from far north Queensland down to the southern NSW border, in coastal bush. Around 100 km inland is the rough edge. Spring and summer are peak season, but ticks are active year-round in warmer parts.
How quickly does paralysis develop?
Symptoms typically appear 3 to 5 days after the tick attaches. Once symptoms start, they progress over hours, weakness in the back legs first, then forelimbs, then breathing muscles. Untreated, fatal in 1 to 3 days.
If I find a tick, can my dog still get sick?
Possibly. Ticks rarely come singly, find one and search for ten more. Once symptoms have started, removing the tick is necessary but not sufficient, the toxin already in the body keeps working until antiserum is given.
How much is paralysis tick antiserum?
$1,500 to $4,500 per case, sometimes more. The 24 to 72 hours of intensive care after antiserum (oxygen, IV fluids, sedation) adds substantially. Total bill commonly $3,000 to $8,000.
What does paralysis tick prevention cost?
About $20 to $30 a month for products that cover paralysis tick (Bravecto, Simparica TRIO, Nexgard Spectra, Frontline Spray). The cost difference between prevention and a single treated paralysis case is roughly 100x.
Are some products better than others?
All currently registered options are effective when used as directed. Bravecto chews give 3 months cover, monthly chews give faster onset for missed doses, Frontline Spray every 3 weeks is the only option for puppies under 8 weeks.
Paralysis tick is the single Australian parasite worth genuinely losing sleep over. Year-round prevention plus a 5-minute search after every bush walk reduces lifetime risk to nearly zero. A treated paralysis case in a 30 kg dog costs around what a small car deposit would. The choice is a clear one. Related: flea, tick & parasite treatment, emergency vet Sydney, grass seeds in dogs. Information here is general and isn't a substitute for veterinary advice.