12/08/2026
🐾 Heading to the coast? Don’t forget about paralysis ticks! 🕷️
While paralysis ticks aren’t common here in Canberra, they are a serious risk along the NSW coast. And remember, ticks can hitch a ride home on pets, clothing, bags and bedding, so the risk doesn’t always end when your holiday does.
🌿 Ticks aren’t just found in the bush!
Paralysis ticks can be found in backyards, gardens, long grass, leaf litter, coastal scrub, walking tracks and areas frequented by wildlife. Your pet doesn’t need to go bushwalking to pick one up.
💊 Make sure prevention is up to date BEFORE you travel.
At Melba Vet, we stock Bravecto Spot-On and Bravecto 3-month chews. If your pet is due for prevention, give it a few days before heading to the coast, rather than waiting until the day you leave.
🔎 Prevention doesn’t replace tick checks.
Check your pet thoroughly every day while you’re away and again when you get home. Use your fingertips to work slowly through the entire coat and feel for any small lumps. Pay particular attention to:
• Around the eyes, lips and face
• In and around the ears
• Under collars
• Neck and shoulders
• Under the front legs
• Between the toes
• Groin and around the tail
🚨 Know the signs of tick paralysis:
• Weakness or wobbliness, particularly in the back legs
• Change in bark or meow
• Coughing, gagging or retching
• Vomiting or regurgitation
• Excessive drooling
• Difficulty swallowing
• Changes in breathing or increased effort to breathe
• Lethargy or reluctance to move
• Collapse in severe cases
Tick paralysis can progress quickly and can be life-threatening. If your pet has recently been to a tick area and develops any of these signs, please seek veterinary attention urgently.
Going to the coast? Prevention + daily tick checks are your best defence. 🐶🐱
