Dogs and Ticks

If you are bringing your dog from the UK you won't know about some of the species of ticks we have in Australia, especially one that can kill. Below is some information that I have collated that I hope will help.

The following ticks have been recorded from dogs- 

Ixodes holocyclus  (paralysis tick)-   Qld to Bairnsdale in Vic, causes paralysis. 

Ixodes cornuatus>   (indigenous tick)-   southeast coastal NSW, central Vic, Tas, may cause paralysis. 

Ixodes australiensis   (indigenous tick)-   WA and Tas. 

Ixodes hirsti   (cat tick)-   may cause paralysis. 

Ixodes tasmani   (possum tick)-   Tas, Vic, NSW, Qld, SA, WA. 

Ixodes myrmecobi   (indigenous tick)-   southwest of WA. 

Boophilus microplus   (cattle tick)-   Qld, NT, WA, northeastern NSW,   rare on dogs;   transmits the cattle blood parasites Babesia bovis and Babesia bigemina
Haemaphysalis bancrofti   (wallaby tick)-   coastal Qld and NSW to Nowra, Kangaroo Is (SA). 

Haemaphysalis longicornis   (scrub tick, bush tick, New Zealand cattle tick)-   southern coastal Qld, coastal NSW, northeastern Vic, esp Murray Valley;   introduced from Japan. 

Rhipicephalus sanguineus   (brown dog tick),   mainly inland areas of Qld, WA, NSW, Vic, but found mostly in northern parts of Australia.   It is a vector for infectious agents affecting dogs such as Babesia canis.   Infection with Babesia canis may result in a symptomless carrier state or in disease ranging in severity from mild to severe and occasionally ending in death. 

Amblyomma triguttatum queenslandense   (ornate wallaby tick)-   north Qld. 

Amblyomma triguttatum triguttatum   (ornate kangaroo tick)-   Qld, northern NSW, southwestern WA 

Aponomma aurunginans (wombat tick)-   southeastern Australia, rare on dogs. 

Ornithodoros gurneyi   (inornate kangaroo tick)-   widely found all States except Vic and Tas; the only "soft" tick commonly recorded on dog.

Here is a guide to what common dog ticks can be found in which area.

Brown Dog Tick

If you are new to the tropics and own a dog, you will very shortly need to know about brown dog ticks.

Rhipicephalus sanguineus are different from the paralysis tick (Ixodes holocyclus), well known in Queensland or the cattle tick (Boophilus microplus). Brown dog ticks are not as life threatening but can develop into an irritating skin condition when in large numbers.

The brown dog tick is a parasite of dogs in tropical and sub-tropical countries including Australia.

If you find ticks on your dog in the NT, they are most likely to be brown dog ticks. Cattle ticks will also attach to dogs, if your dog runs in areas with cattle. You will find ticks attached anywhere on a dog but mostly where the dog cannot bite itself. Ticks attach mainly along the back, on the neck, in the ears and between the toes. Heavy infestations do occur in the Top End, especially in the wet season. Generally, these ticks will not attach to people.
 

SURVIVAL

Ticks are excellent survivors. They lay large numbers of eggs and each stage can survive several months without feeding. They are most susceptible to strong sunlight, desiccation and very heavy rain. There are four stages in the life cycle of the tick: egg, larva, nymph and adult. The adult female tick leaves the dog after it is fully engorged and seeks out a dark sheltered position to lay its eggs- all 4000 of them. This may be in leaf litter, soil or under your best lounge chair. The eggs hatch into reddish brown larvae which are very small and difficult to see. They may be found crawling up walls. They attach to the dog and feed until engorged. Then they drop off the dog and moult to become nymphs. Nymphs are larger than larvae and can be distinguished by having eight legs instead of six. Nymphs also feed on blood until they are engorged and then drop off the host. They then develop into female or male adults. The female attaches and starts to feed.

The engorged female is the largest and most obvious stage in the cycle. Engorged females are about 12 mm in length and are brown to blue/grey in colour with dark brown legs. Male ticks are much smaller, shiny dark brown in colour and actively move about. They do not engorge like the females, but may be found close to females. All adult ticks have eight legs.

The brown dog tick is most active during the early wet season.
 

Pour on
Pour on applications are easy to apply and are long acting. One of the most effective products is the topically applied fipronil, Frontline. It spreads over the skin and is deposited in sebaceous material. It is effective for up to one month against ticks.

Sprays and washes
Dogs treated with dips and washes must be thoroughly wet to the skin, with particular attention being given to inside the ears and between the toes. Generally these products are only effective for a limited time. Because the brown dog tick is a three host tick, regular chemical treatments at seven to 14 day intervals are required to break its life cycle. Washes generally contain organophosphates, synthetic pyrethroids or formamidines. Take care in applying these and follow safety instructions.

Of the cattle tick dips only Barricade ‘S’ is registered for use on dogs for the control of cattle ticks. One of its active ingredients is chlorfenvinphos. Do not use at intervals of less than three weeks.

Collars
These are another effective method of applying chemical for prolonged periods. However, exposure to water will affect the duration of protection. Collars generally contain organophosphates, synthetic pyrethroids or formamidines.

With all chemical treatments, it is very important to read and follow the manufacturers’ recommendations. Remember that some of these chemicals also affect human health. There are a limited number of treatments registered for use on animals under three months.

In the Top End weather conditions are favourable for tick survival for most of the year, except for short periods in the driest times and the wettest times. As long as dogs are monitored for tick burden, year round treatment would not be warranted. Commence control as soon as ticks are seen on the dog.

Treat all dogs at the same time.


OTHER CONTROL MEASURES

Constant reinfestation will occur if the dog’s environment is contaminated with tick larvae and nymphs. Treat the dog’s resting areas with an acaricidal spray. These are often organophosphate chemicals such as maldison or diazinon. Bedding, crevices in the kennel and any other items in the vicinity will harbour ticks so all of these must also be treated or removed.

If ticks have invaded your house, a commercial pest control operator should be consulted. Ticks will shelter in cracks and crevices associated with brickwork, skirting boards and mouldings and the use of powders/dusts with a residual effect is recommended. Products should be used only according to directions.

Dogs should be regularly checked for ticks. Pull off any ticks and destroy them. Ticks in the ear removed using blunt-ended tweezers.


Recommended actions for severe problem of ticks on dogs

1. Contact a commercial pest control operator to spray your house and yard. Alternatively, spray dog resting areas, kennel and bedding with Quick Kill Rinse Concentrate for Fleas, Ticks and Lice, Exelpet Fleaban Yard and Kennel Concentrate or Malaban Wash Concentrate weekly for three weeks until numbers are greatly reduced. (Remove dogs first). Dispose of bedding if possible. Elevate kennel above the soil.
   
   Note: These are organophosphates and are toxic to humans, so follow instructions carefully. They are poisonous if absorbed through the skin, inhaled or swallowed. Avoid inhaling. Wear gloves. Wash hands with soap and water after use or immediately if spills occur.
    

2. Treat dog with Frontline Top Spot Dog. Apply between shoulder blades onto skin (or use spray).
   
   Repeat treatment monthly until ticks are few in number.
   
   Alternatively, a tick collar could be used or a wash for ticks.
    

3. Restrict dog movements to treated area so no ticks are picked up elsewhere.

4. Treat all dogs at same time.

5. Do not allow "ticky" dogs into your yard.

6. Persist with treatment for at least four months.

An AgNote from the Northern Territory Government
Please visit their website at www.primaryindustry.nt.gov.au

Paralysis Tick

The paralysis tick is a major problem for cats and dogs; prevention and treatment are very important for pet owners. They occur year round but their numbers reach a peak from early spring to late summer (the so-called “tick season”) when it is warm and wet. A severe paralysis tick infestation can lead to respiratory failure and death.

THE CAUSE OF TICK PARALYSIS 

The paralysis tick, Ixodes holocyclus, is the cause of tick poisoning. This tick is found along the east coast of Australia (essentially very narrow strip) and is prevalent around bushland especially on Sydney's north shore including Turramurra.

The paralysis tick is a grey-greenish coloured tick that can range in size from a pinhead to as large as a thumbnail. The size is an indication of how long the tick has been on your pet. The tick ingests blood and becomes engorged as a result, at the same time secreting its own saliva into your pet’s bloodstream. It is the neurotoxins in the saliva that cause the clinical signs.

Paralysis ticks occur all year round but their numbers reach a peak from early spring to late summer (the so-called “tick season”) when it is warm and wet. The actual time varies with weather conditions – approximately early August till late January.

SYMPTOMS OF TICK POISONING

Clinical signs usually develop within 3-4 days after tick attachment but, in some very rare instances, signs may not be seen for up to a week or two after attachment.

Signs most commonly seen include:

Vomiting and/or gagging or refusing food.

A slight wobbliness of the hindquarters which worsens to paralysis and inability to stand.

A change in the sound of bark or miaow;

Vomiting and/or gagging or refusing food

Difficulty breathing (slow and laboured, often with a grunting noise on expiration).

If your pet is showing ANY of these signs it is IMPORTANT that it is treated appropriately AS SOON AS POSSIBLE as untreated animals may die.

Sometimes you may find a tick or ticks on your pet and it is not showing any clinical signs.  In such cases you should remove all the ticks, keep your pet quiet and closely watch him/her for the next 24-36 hours as signs may still develop despite the removal of the ticks.  If this happens, treatment is necessary.

TREATMENT FOR PARALYSIS TICK POISONING 

In all cases of tick poisoning the following procedures will be followed:

Administration of a sedative (cats especially can become very agitated and stressed with a tick);

Removal of all ticks and repeated searches;

Pre-medication and administration of anti-tick serum. It should be noted that adverse reactions can occur to the serum;

Cage rest and close monitoring,

Monitoring of bladder function. Manual expression of the bladder is often required until normal function returns.
In some cases additional procedures are required, such as:

Supportive treatment, such as fluids, oxygen, etc. (depending on the severity) may be necessary

Artificial ventilation. Learn more here about our state of the art ventilator

Further diagnostic procedures including blood pressure, blood tests and chest radiographs. Other procedures may be necessary in severe cases.

In general your animal will be in hospital for at least 2-3 days.  Your pet will be graded on admission for respiration and gait.  You will be informed of the changes in the grading during your pet’s hospitalisation.  Prior to discharge your pet will either be sprayed with Frontline or given a tick bath and rinse.

Some breeds of dogs seem to be particularly sensitive to the effects of the neurotoxin.  These include Collies, Border Collies, Irish Setters and German Shepherds.  In such animals clinical signs can be more severe and recovery often slower.

TICK PARALYSIS AFTER CARE

It is important to keep your pet QUIET and COOL for 2 weeks after tick poisoning because of the possibility of delayed cardiotoxic effects.  In addition small frequent meals and fluids are preferable to one large meal a day.  Another common side effect of tick poisoning is inhibition of a dog’s ability to urinate.  Although this is unusual you should check that your pet is urinating freely.  This means observing a stream of urine not just "that he’s cocking his leg"!

It is important to realise that your pet is still susceptible to poisoning from any future ticks.  The antiserum given at the time of treatment does not have any lasting protective effects and so preventative measures should be undertaken.

PREVENTION OF TICK PARALYSIS

Daily examination of your pet for the presence of ticks is the most effective form of prevention provided it is done diligently.  Always remove the collar from your animal before checking as ticks are often found under them!  In general ticks attach most frequently around the head, neck and forelegs of an animal but you should check all over.

 A number of drugs assist in preventing tick attachment and poisoning.

For both dogs and cats, Frontline Spray used at its “tick” dose rate.  This product protects against ticks for up to three weeks and persists despite subsequent bathing or swimming.

For dogs only you may also use either:  Frontline Top Spot which protects for up to two weeks; or Permoxin insecticidal rinse weekly; or Bayer Kiltix Collar which protects for up to 6 weeks.

For cats only Frontline Spray only.

REMOVAL OF TICKS

There are a few important tips to remember when removing ticks from a pet’s body as well as a few misconceptions to debunk.

When removing a tick it is important not to disturb the body of the tick and to try and grab the tick by its head, at the point of insertion in the skin. In the past people used tweezers, long finger nails, forceps and long nosed pliers however all these can have downsides and either traumatised the tick before removal or hurt the pet. With the advent of tick removers, a fork like device that slides either side of the tick without touching the body of the tick, easy removal is now possible.

Research says that poor removal of a tick may worsen the degree of symptoms but generally will not affect the morbidity.

Our advice is that if you can remove the tick easily and cleanly yourself then do it, if not then a quick visit to your vet for assistance is worthwhile. If either of these options are not feasible then applying Frontline or another appropriate tick controller to the tick may kill the tick and allow removal once it is dead. Please note that it may take some time for the tick to die and thus increase the venom exposure. Please don’t use metho, kerosene, turps or any other agent as they can cause other issues.

One key myth is the risk of leaving the head behind. Whilst this means that the tick has not been removed cleanly it doesn’t necessarily cause any other issues beyond a local site reaction with the pet’s body eliciting a foreign body type reaction or hypersensitivity.

The bush tick (Haemaphysalis longicornis) is a parasite of cattle, sheep and other warm blooded animals. In some states of Australia and other countries, decreased livestock growth rates and disease due to anaemia can occur, but the tick has not caused such problems in Western Australia. The Bush tick was first detected in Western Australia on cattle in the Walpole area in 1983 but has not spread widely and infestations are only occasionally reported.

Since being detected it has not spread far beyond this area, presumably due to its requirement for mild summer temperatures and moisture at ground level. Although tick infestations can be significant in the major endemic zones, this has not been seen in Western Australia, and routine control measures are not warranted.

Importance

The chief effect of the bush tick on host animals is due to the sucking of blood, and in endemic areas heavy infestations can cause severe anaemia, decreased growth rates and rarely, deaths in younger cattle.  In older animals the combination of a continued low-grade anaemia and "tick worry" can reduce production performance. However, significant effects have not been seen in Western Australia, presumably because climatic conditions do not permit large populations to develop on individual animals. Other stock species rarely acquire the large burdens of bush ticks seen in cattle, but sheep can develop a particularly severe reaction at the site of tick attachment, which can cause extreme irritation. Ticks can be found on dogs, wildlife and occasionally on humans.

Cattle which have been exposed to ticks develop a degree of resistance to further tick infestation, and hence calves in their first year usually acquire heavier burdens than older stock. Cattle introduced from tick-free areas are likely to acquire more ticks than locally raised stock. The number of ticks seen on individual cattle usually varies greatly, and they may be seen on only a small proportion of a herd. The bush tick is a different species from the cattle tick (Rhipicephalus microplus), which in Western Australia occurs only in the Kimberley region, or various tick species seen on wildlife.

The bush tick is known to transmit the protozoal disease Theileriosis in cattle on the eastern seaboard, and in WA this has been detected on a number of properties, mostly in the Denmark-Walpole area.

Biology of the tick

The bush tick orginated from the northern Pacific and is primarily a parasite of cattle, but readily infests many other warm blooded animals. Adult ticks are usually dark brown in colour, and grow to about the size of a pea when fully engorged with blood from a host. The favoured sites of attachment are around the tail, on the udder, inside the legs, on the brisket, in the ears, and occasionally on the face and neck. On sheep, non-woolled areas are preferred.

The bush tick is referred to as a three host tick, because each of three life cycle stages must attach to a host for a few days before continuing development. Adult ticks suck blood from a host before dropping to the ground, and laying several thousand eggs. Over some weeks the eggs develop to larvae, which climb onto the vegetation to await a passing host. After several days on a host animal, the larvae fall off, and moult to become nymphs. Nymphal ticks again seek a host and suck blood for several days, before dropping off to moult to the adult stage. Both larvae and nymphs are very small, and are not easily seen with the naked eye.The life cycle occurs over about 12 months.

Adult ticks are seen mainly during early summer, larvae from late summer to early winter, and nymphs, mainly in spring. Larvae and nymphs which have not found a host can reportedly remain alive in the vegetation for over 12 months if conditions are favourable (though this is unlikely under WA conditions). On any one property, adult bush ticks are usually seen for only a few weeks in each year, at most, before disappearing.

The free-living (ground dwelling) stages of the bush tick have very specific climatic requirements. Moisture must be continually available, and extremely hot temperatures are unfavourable. This limits the tick's distribution to areas where some rainfall occurs year round, and summer temperatures are not excessive. In Australia, bush ticks are especially abundant in a narrow strip along the northern coast of New South Wales, and found as far north as Gympie in Queensland and south to Gippsland in Victoria. Even within favourable climatic zones, bush ticks require a moist, sheltered ground environment. Short, open pasture is usually too dry to permit survival of the vulnerable free living stages.

Control

In the sub-tropical areas on the eastern Australian coast, where bush tick populations are heaviest, control measures are based on tickicide chemicals and pasture management, though this is not routinely necessary. The most effective products have a persistent effect, as individual ticks attach for only a few days, and hence protection against continual infestation is needed. These chemicals are available as dips, sprays, or pour-on products. This level of control has not been necessary in Western Australia. If tick infestations were of concern, the risk of re-infestation would be largely eliminated by preventing susceptible stock (especially calves) from grazing paddocks containing scrub or heavy dense pasture.

The bush tick in Western Australia

Following the discovery of the bush tick at Walpole in 1983, farms in the district were inspected annually for several years to determine the extent of establishment. The tick is now established on cattle farms in the Walpole, Hazelvale and Denmark districts, with recent reports closer to Albany, but it appears unlikely to spread significantly further, or to become of major significance in its own right. However, as the Bush Tick is the vector for the Theileria organism, disease related to this could potentially occur on farms within the tick’s distribution range.

No other tick species in WA outside the Kimberley Land Division are considered to be of importance to agriculture, and ticks found on humans may cause irritation but pose no disease risk.