THERE are always a lot of ticks around at this time of year and prevention is really important – and cheaper – for dogs, says veterinarian Clara Wilkins. 

Clara says Canberra Vet Hospital has already seen two or three tick cases this season, and that it is likely the emergency hospitals have seen far more. 

“It’s such a simple thing, it’s a chew, or a tablet, or a spot on, or something that’s relatively quick and easy to do as opposed to treating tick paralysis, which is expensive and stressful and the outcome is very unpredictable,” she says.

“The way tick prevention works is basically, a lot of them are tablets, so the dog eats the tablet, the tick has to then bite the dog to get a dose. 

“So it doesn’t stop the ticks biting, but it poisons them before they start to secrete enough venom into dogs to cause problems.”

Clara, 27, herself owns one dog, River, and two cats Reggie and Rupert, and says signs of tick bites can vary, but the key one to look for is wobbliness.

“If it looks like they’re dragging a foot or collapsing on their back legs, those are the ones we usually get really worried about,” she says.

“They can have changes in breathing, changes in the sound of their bark, even things like vomiting can be a sign. 

“Dogs that are not on preventative medicine that have been bitten by a paralysis tick can go on to have full paralysis of their respiratory muscles, and they have to then go on a ventilator.

“They can also have aspirational pneumonia where they’re drooling or vomiting and, as a result, they breathe it in because they don’t have control over those muscles. 

“It can be very nasty. 

“If your dog is on tick prevention and you see symptoms, keep your dog quiet, you don’t want to excite them or put them in more duress. 

“If you find a tick and your dog has no symptoms, I would still call a vet, even if you physically can’t get to one. 

“I wouldn’t recommend taking the ticks off your dog, if you find one that has fallen off, which will sometimes happen if they’re on tick prevention, keep it, put it in a little jar and bring it in.”

Clara says that preventative measures are not only critical in protecting a dog’s health, they can also save the owner a significant amount of money when it comes to treatment.

“For those not using preventatives, at a general practice you’re looking at a $2000 starting price just for the first day,” she says.

“As in, you have walked in, we assessed it, ran bloods, stabilised it, gave it the tick anti-serum, it does not include potentially five or six or more days in emergency. 

“If they go on a ventilator you’re looking at upwards of several thousands of dollars a day.

“When you’ve got a tablet that costs $70 or $80, there’s a big difference in those prices.”

For Canberrans heading to the coast over the holiday period, Clara says there are few key things to remember.

“I would really encourage people to make sure their tick medication is up to date,” she says.

“Make sure whatever product you’re using is being used according to the packet instructions, because they all vary slightly in terms of how long they last and how long before exposure you have to give them.

“Even if that’s done, make sure you’re doing daily tick searches. 

“Just because they’re on anti-tick medication, don’t assume that means they aren’t going to get bitten.

“Check under their collar, in their ears, between their toes, all those warm dark places. 

“The other thing that is really important to remember is that giving preventative tick medication when you’re already at the coast is probably not going to help, it’s better than nothing but ideally give it a few days beforehand to work. 

“With things like the spot on treatments, you can’t get the dogs wet after, it has to sit for a while and it’s a classic mistake, you’ve put the spot on then let your dog run into the water and that’s not going to work.”