The ticks produce a poisonous substance that affects mammals like dogs and causes paralysis and in that sense, it is not the ticks that are affected but the dogs.
This toxin is released into the blood stream of the dog when the tick bites causing muscular weakness.
It is not as if all dogs or mammals are affected by this toxin from ticks, only some dogs are actually affected and some only suffer from paralysis of their hind limbs.
Due to the variation in the kind of effect the toxin produces, certain mammals will suffer from total paralysis and may even die due to difficulty in breathing.
It is thus necessary for you to know the type of paralysis to be able to get the situation under control which you can do by removing the ticks.
Read on to discover how you can easily prevent a deadly situation for your pooch…
Tick Paralysis Signs
You will start noticing signs of paralysis only after 5 to 7 days after your dog has been bitten by ticks and it usually takes quite a few bites delivered at a time for paralysis to take place.
The tell tale signs are that your pet will appear much weaker and will have difficulty moving his hind legs.
Other signs are when the pet experiences problems to chew, swallow or even breathe though there may not be other symptoms like fever or shivering exhibited by your pet.
Since death can occur within hours from respiratory failure, because of the muscle paralysis caused, it is absolutely critical that you check for these signs.
Diagnosis
Based on the symptoms exhibited and the health condition of your pet at that time, paralysis may be identified as having occurred.
Though the incidence of paralysis is also dependent on specific seasons, the good news is that the moment the ticks are picked up and thrown away out of the pet’s body, your pet will show a quick recovery.
Though it may be easy to find out if your pet is paralytic from the way he behaves, it is important for you to constantly check for any ticks to play safe.
Cures
One effective method of treatment is to pick all the ticks from the body and throw them away.
It may be difficult for you to identify all the ticks especially if they are hidden in the thick fur of your pet’s body and you may have to totally shave your pet to get at them.
As a side note, some Custom Leather Dog Collars can help to prevent growth of ticks. You can check it out.
You can also administer an antitoxin injection to your pet to enable him to get well soon.
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