It is caused by ticks which excrete a toxin that affects the nervous system of mammals, more specifically caused from female tick bites, and it can turn deadly if not treated. Tick bites often produce a flaccid paralysis, when they bite, which causes your dog to suddenly feel weak and have no muscular tone. It can vary depending on what kind of dog you have, as not all dogs or mammals are affected by ticks, and even some animals only have their hind limbs affected.

Since the side effects can vary, some mammals can easily fall into a critical state as their muscles become unable to move, especially their respiratory muscles, therefore making it difficult for the animal to breathe. Therefore, you should always know how to distinguish the signs of paralysis caused by ticks, so that you can get the symptoms under control and remove the ticks before things turn worse.

Read on to find out more about tick paralysis.

Signs

The normal time for symptoms to being showing is anywhere from five to seven days, but keep in mind that one tick bite can take a lot longer to show, as multiple tick bites will show paralysis sooner. Another issue with ticks, is that they can easily hide underneath your dogs fur, and are not easily detected, which is why you should always look for the symptoms, such as weakness and poor coordination in their hind legs. Dogs can also exhibit difficulty when swallowing, breathing, and chewing, but there will be no signs of a fever or regular illness symptoms aside from these.

Death can occur within hours from respiratory failure, because the muscles in the chest become paralyzed, which is why you must always check for these signs when you notice that your dog seems less mobile.

Diagnosis

Most often, paralysis is diagnosed based on the symptoms, and also if your dog has a rapidly worsening condition.

Your dog will have a rapid recovery once you are able to locate the tick(s) and remove them. Even though the diagnosis comes from the signs and symptoms, you should still regularly check your dog for ticks, especially if you are often in regions where there are lots of ticks; and also if you notice your dog behaving strangely all of a sudden.

Cures for Tick Paralysis

Since the ticks can be removed, all you have to do is find them. You may have a hard time finding all of the ticks, or the tick, if your dog has a lot of fur, because ticks normally burrow into the skin, which means you may have to shave your dog for the time being, before they cause serious harm to your pooch.

Your dog may require more supportive care, such as artificial respiration, once the ticks are out, depending on how much damage was done. There is also an antitoxin available to be given to your dog, and it can be procured quickly.