How to prevent your pet getting a tick
WITH temperatures increasing over the coming months, Greencross Vets and Petbarn are urging pet owners to be on high alert for ticks.
The three most common ticks found in Queensland are the brown dog tick, the bush tick and the deadly paralysis tick, whose toxin attacks the nervous system with one bite potentially resulting in the death of your pet.
Rachel Chay, chief veterinarian at Greencross Vets, said some of the signs that pet owners can look out for include loss of coordination in the hind legs or not being able to stand up, vomiting, loss of appetite, lethargy, difficulty or rapid breathing; change in bark or meow and excessive salivation.
Dr Chay also stressed the importance people being proactive in tick treatment for their pets to ensure they were protected.
"It's important that pet owners search their pet's coat daily, especially after long walks or when your pet has been exposed to bushland or long grass," she said.
Petbarn Bundaberg store manager Tammy Vaughan said she encouraged pet owners to make sure they always had tick treatment on hand
"Regularly using tick prevention products will not only be less costly than treating tick bites for pet owners, but could potentially save your pet's life," she said.
If your pet does have a tick, contact your vet.
