Emergency guide
Paralysis Ticks in Dogs: The Complete Australian Guide
How to find, remove, and prevent paralysis ticks — Australia's most dangerous pest for dogs on the east coast.
If this is happening now
Call your vet or nearest emergency clinic first, then follow the steps below.
Do this every day during tick season — takes under 5 minutes
- 1
Check high-risk spots first
Ticks prefer warm, dark, moist areas. Start with: neck and head (especially behind ears), armpits, groin, chest, between toes, and tail base. These account for 80%+ of all tick discoveries.
- 2
Use fingers AND a comb
Work methodically from head to tail. Part the fur and run fingertips along the skin feeling for small bumps. Then use a fine-toothed comb to expose the skin. Repeat both passes — ticks are easy to miss on the first check.
- 3
Test any bump you find
Touch the bump gently. Ticks don't move when touched. Part the fur more around any suspicious bump — if you see legs or an attachment point, it's a tick. Take a photo for your vet if uncertain.
Background and detail
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- East coast QLD and NSW only
- Season: Sept–May, peak Nov–Feb
- Symptoms: 3–5 days after attachment
- Check daily during season
- Preventable with monthly chews
Paralysis ticks are Australia's deadliest pest for dogs. Unlike the common brown tick, Ixodes holocyclus injects a toxin that progressively paralyses your dog from the hind legs upward. Without treatment, they're fatal. With year-round prevention and daily checks, they're almost entirely preventable.
Where Paralysis Ticks Live in Australia
- 🟥 Very High Risk
- Coastal QLD and NSW north of Bega — within 5 km of bushland or national park
- 🟧 High Risk
- Sub-coastal areas of QLD and NSW — gardens near bushland, rural properties
- 🟨 Moderate Risk
- Urban areas of Brisbane and Sydney with nearby bushland reserves
- 🟩 Low Risk
- Victoria, SA, WA, NT, Tasmania — paralysis ticks don't occur here
What Paralysis Ticks Look Like
Unfed (newly attached)
- Size
- 1–2 mm
- Appearance
- Dark grey/brown, flat, pinhead sized
- How easy to spot
- Very difficult — feel for bumps
Partially fed (2–3 days)
- Size
- 3–5 mm
- Appearance
- Grey-white, slightly raised
- How easy to spot
- Easier with parted fur
Fully engorged (4–5 days)
- Size
- 8–10 mm
- Appearance
- Pale grey, shiny, pea-sized
- How easy to spot
- Visible to eye — but symptoms imminent
| Stage | Size | Appearance | How easy to spot |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unfed (newly attached) | 1–2 mm | Dark grey/brown, flat, pinhead sized | Very difficult — feel for bumps |
| Partially fed (2–3 days) | 3–5 mm | Grey-white, slightly raised | Easier with parted fur |
| Fully engorged (4–5 days) | 8–10 mm | Pale grey, shiny, pea-sized | Visible to eye — but symptoms imminent |
How to Search Your Dog for Ticks
Safe Tick Removal — Do This, Not That
Tick removal hook (tick twister)
- Verdict
- ✅ Best
- Why
- Lifts the tick away cleanly without crushing
Fine-tipped tweezers (grasp close to skin)
- Verdict
- ✅ Acceptable
- Why
- Pull straight out slowly — do not twist or squeeze
Fingers (pinch very close to skin)
- Verdict
- ⚠️ Last resort only
- Why
- Effective if no tools available — wash hands after
Petrol, methylated spirits, or oil
- Verdict
- ❌ Never
- Why
- Causes tick distress — injects more toxin into your dog
Squashing, twisting, or jerking
- Verdict
- ❌ Never
- Why
- Ruptures the tick body and forces toxin into the wound
Leaving it to fall off naturally
- Verdict
- ❌ Never
- Why
- Toxin accumulates continuously while attached
| Method | Verdict | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Tick removal hook (tick twister) | ✅ Best | Lifts the tick away cleanly without crushing |
| Fine-tipped tweezers (grasp close to skin) | ✅ Acceptable | Pull straight out slowly — do not twist or squeeze |
| Fingers (pinch very close to skin) | ⚠️ Last resort only | Effective if no tools available — wash hands after |
| Petrol, methylated spirits, or oil | ❌ Never | Causes tick distress — injects more toxin into your dog |
| Squashing, twisting, or jerking | ❌ Never | Ruptures the tick body and forces toxin into the wound |
| Leaving it to fall off naturally | ❌ Never | Toxin accumulates continuously while attached |
Emergency Signs — Symptoms of Tick Paralysis
- 🦮 Wobbling hind legs
- First sign — unsteady walking, staggering, or bunny-hopping with both back legs
- 🪜 Won't climb stairs or jump
- Hind leg weakness before visible paralysis — easy to miss as "just stiff"
- 🌬️ Changed breathing
- Reverse sneezing, gurgling, laboured breathing — toxin is reaching the chest
- 🤢 Vomiting or drooling
- Especially combined with weakness — toxin affecting throat muscles
- 👁️ Dilated pupils
- Large, fixed pupils in both eyes — nervous system involvement
- 💪 Progressive weakness
- Paralysis moves forward: back legs → front legs → jaw → breathing muscles
Year-Round Prevention Products
Most Popular
Bravecto Tick Prevention Chew
Monthly oral chew that kills paralysis ticks within 24 hours of attachment. Australia's most popular tick prevention — convenient, highly effective, palatable beef flavour.
- Kills paralysis ticks within 24 hours
- Also covers fleas and mites
- Palatable beef flavour
- For dogs 4.5kg+
All-in-One
NexGard Spectra
Monthly chew covering paralysis ticks, fleas, and internal worms in one dose. Kills ticks within 24 hours. Particularly useful for dogs needing combined parasite control.
- Paralysis tick + flea + worm combo
- Kills ticks within 24 hours
- Beef flavoured chew
- Suitable from 2kg
8-Month Coverage
Seresto Flea and Tick Collar (8-month)
Continuous 8-month protection against fleas and ticks via collar. Ideal for dogs that won't take oral medications. Water-resistant and convenient — no monthly reminders needed.
- 8 months per collar
- No monthly dosing required
- Water-resistant
- Suitable from 8 weeks of age
Oral chew (Bravecto, NexGard)
- Frequency
- Monthly
- Best for
- Dogs that are easy to tablet — most owners prefer this
Spot-on drops
- Frequency
- Monthly
- Best for
- Dogs that won't take chews, or those with food allergies
Collar (Seresto)
- Frequency
- Every 8 months
- Best for
- Set-and-forget owners; dogs that swim frequently
| Product type | Frequency | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Oral chew (Bravecto, NexGard) | Monthly | Dogs that are easy to tablet — most owners prefer this |
| Spot-on drops | Monthly | Dogs that won't take chews, or those with food allergies |
| Collar (Seresto) | Every 8 months | Set-and-forget owners; dogs that swim frequently |
Common questions
How quickly can a paralysis tick kill a dog?
Symptoms appear 3–5 days after attachment and progress rapidly. Death can occur within 24–48 hours of severe symptoms if untreated. This is why early detection and immediate vet care are critical.
Can I remove a paralysis tick with tweezers?
Yes, if you grasp as close to the skin as possible and pull straight out without squashing the body. A purpose-made tick hook (tick twister) is safer — it's designed to remove the whole tick cleanly without compressing it.
Do I need tick prevention year-round in QLD/NSW?
Yes. Ticks can appear outside the main September–May season, especially in northern QLD and coastal NSW. Year-round prevention is standard practice in high-risk zones.
I removed a tick and my dog seems fine — do I still need the vet?
Monitor closely for 48 hours. Toxin already injected can still cause paralysis. If any wobbling, weakness, or breathing changes appear, go to the emergency vet immediately. Some vets recommend a check-up after tick removal regardless.
How do I know if a bump is a tick?
Part the fur and look for an attachment point with legs visible. Ticks don't move when touched. During tick season, treat any unidentified bump as a tick and get it checked. A photo for your vet can help identify it.
Can humans get paralysis ticks?
Yes, though it's rare. Symptoms include weakness, rash, and potentially paralysis. If you find a tick on yourself during tick season in coastal QLD or NSW, remove it immediately and monitor for symptoms. See a doctor if any signs develop.