With the arrival of spring this week, we're all excited about warmer weather and more outdoor adventures with our beloved pets. However, the warmer temperatures also bring an unwelcome guest: ticks. Here at Avoca Drive Animal Hospital, we've already begun to see a significant increase in tick cases, and we want to stress the extreme danger these tiny parasites pose to your furry family members.

Tick paralysis is a life-threatening condition, and the speed at which it can progress is truly alarming. We cannot emphasise this enough: a delay in presentation to a veterinary clinic, even for a few hours, can have catastrophic consequences. Deterioration once affected is rapid and potentially deadly. This is NOT a "wait and see" situation. We have unfortunately seen too many cases where pet owners have delayed seeking veterinary attention, only for their pet's condition to worsen dramatically, often leading to death, even with immediate veterinary intervention once they arrive.

What to look for:

• Wobbliness or difficulty walking: This is often one of the first signs, starting in the hind legs.
• Changes in their bark or meow: A weaker, different sound.
• Vomiting or regurgitation: Especially if they have just eaten or drunk water.
• Difficulty breathing: Laboured breathing, panting, or gasping.
• Weakness or lethargy: Your pet may seem unusually tired or unwilling to move.
• Loss or change of appetite.
• Finding a tick on your pet: Even if it's small, it can be a paralysis tick. Please note that the tick that has caused the symptoms may not be found.