Paralysis tick season: the checklist for east-coast pet owners
Updated July 2026 · General information, not veterinary advice.
The Australian paralysis tick (Ixodes holocyclus) is arguably the most dangerous parasite a dog or cat can meet in this country — a single adult female can kill an untreated pet. It lives along the east coast from far north Queensland down to eastern Victoria, and every spring, emergency vet hospitals fill up with cases that were preventable. Here's the season, the symptoms, and a checklist worth pinning to the fridge.
When is tick season?
Numbers surge from roughly October to March, with spring the peak danger period. But “season” undersells it: adult ticks turn up year-round, and mild winters barely slow them down. If you live in — or visit — bushy or coastal areas anywhere on the east coast, vets recommend year-round prevention, not just summer cover.
Early symptoms: what tick paralysis looks like
The toxin attacks progressively, usually from the back legs forward. Call a vet immediately if you notice any of these — deterioration can happen within hours:
- Wobbly, weak back legs — reluctance to stand, jump or climb stairs is often the first sign.
- A changed bark or meow — hoarse, softer, or different in pitch.
- Vomiting or regurgitating, especially with froth.
- Excessive drooling.
- Heavy, noisy or laboured breathing — grunting on the out-breath is a late, urgent sign.
- Lethargy and loss of appetite.
The prevention checklist
- Keep a tick preventative up to date, year-round. Chews, spot-ons and collars all exist — ask your vet which suits your pet (this matters especially for cats: several dog products are toxic to them).
- Do a daily tick check with your fingertips, even on treated pets — no product is 100%. Work from the nose back: face, lips, ears (inside too), under the collar, chin, neck, chest, between the toes, under the tail. Most ticks attach forward of the front legs.
- After every bush or beach walk, check again. Long grass and leaf litter are prime tick habitat.
- Make the backyard boring for ticks: keep grass mown, clear leaf litter, and discourage wildlife hosts like possums and bandicoots where you can.
- Keep a tick-removal hook in the car and the house, and know your nearest emergency vet's number and after-hours arrangement before you need it.
Found a tick? Do this
- Remove it immediately — with a removal hook or fine-pointed tweezers, grip at skin level and pull steadily. Don't squeeze the body. If you can't remove it, go straight to a vet.
- Keep the tick in a jar or zip-lock bag for identification.
- No food or water — the toxin can impair swallowing, and aspiration is a real risk.
- Keep your pet calm and cool, and avoid exercise.
- Call your vet even if your pet seems fine. Signs can keep worsening for 24–48 hours after the tick is removed.
Make the routine automatic
Tick prevention fails at the same two points every year: the monthly chew that gets forgotten, and the daily check that quietly stops in winter. Household Pet turns both into reminders — log the preventative once and the app schedules the next dose, shared with the whole household so it's given exactly once, by whoever's home. And if the worst happens, your pet's full history — weight, medications, when the preventative was last given — is ready to show the emergency vet in one tap.
Related reading
- Puppy vaccination schedule in Australia (C3 vs C5)
- How much does pet insurance really cost in Australia?
This article is general information for Australian pet owners and isn't a substitute for veterinary advice. If you suspect tick paralysis, contact a vet immediately.