Looking for Tick Treatment in Coffs Harbour?

We provide expert tick treatment in Coffs Harbour and Toormina should your pet require attention. Most residents and regular visitors to the Coffs Coast are extremely aware of the presence of paralysis ticks in the area and the risks posed to themselves and their pets. Although ticks are present all year round, ‘tick season’ is generally considered to be from July to January, with the highest cases of tick paralysis seen from September to November.

Prevent the ticks before they need tick treatment

Prevention is better than cure. All pet owners should take preventative measures. The most important method of prevention for tick paralysis is early removal of the ticks, which means regular (daily) checking. Moreover, it would help if you searched your pet from head to toe. However, as most ticks are found on the head and neck, extra care should be taken in checking this area. Also, if your pet has a thick or long coat and you find it difficult to check properly, consider clipping it shorter during tick season.

Be aware that it is impossible to find every tick on every dog. Consequently, in addition to regular searching, it is essential to use one of the tick-repellent products that are available. We advise using a tick treatment product year-round. However, if you do not, please at least use one during tick season.

Indoor pets can suffer from ticks

You may think that because your pet is an indoor pet, it is safe from ticks. Unfortunately, this is not so. Ticks can still enter the home by being carried in by people or other animals. We usually see at least one indoor cat with tick toxicity every season.

Tick Treatment – Preventative Medications

The newest group of chemicals used in tick control in dogs are the isoxazolines including Nexgard, Bravecto, Simparica and Credelio.  These are available as chewable tablets or spot-on formulations for dogs and have proved to be very popular and effective if used correctly.

Isoxazolines are also available for use in cats, Bravecto and Revolution Plus. These are available as spot-on formulations and are quite user-friendly.

The relatively new isoxazoline-containing products have largely replaced the older products such as tick collars and Frontline and Advantix as they are proving to offer good protection, are cost-effective and are more user friendly. The latter factor has significantly reduced failures with the older products that were quite common due to user errors.

What to do if you find a Tick

Note: If your animal is already showing signs of tick paralysis, immediate tick treatment by a veterinary clinic is required.

Remove the tick using a tick twister (an implement designed for tick removal – available at our vet clinics), fingers or tweezers. Firstly, try to grasp the tick close to the skin, and twist the tick – this will help to dislodge the mouthparts from the skin. Next, put the tick in a sealable container or ziplock bag (alive if possible) to be identified by a vet to see if your pet requires veterinary attention. Lastly, always look for another tick! If your pet has one tick, this signifies that they have been somewhere ticks are present, which means there could be more.

We recommend a visit to us for examination and possible tick treatment if you have found a Paralysis Tick on your pet, even if all seems normal. However, if you are confident that none of the signs of tick paralysis are present and decide not to see a vet, close monitoring is essential, particularly over the next few days.  The signs to watch for include the following:

ATAXIA – wobbly when walking, starting with the back legs then ascending to the front legs before eventually leading to a complete inability to stand.

RETCHING/VOMITING – retching/coughing after eating/drinking can mean your pet is not swallowing properly. This can also be unrelated to feeding and can be quite persistent.

ANOREXIA – reluctance to eat.

WEAKNESS – sometimes, your pet may look steady on their feet but may have trouble getting up or with stairs.

LACK OF BLINK REFLEX – paralysis of the eyelids can be quite subtle. Check for a full blink (where the eyelid fully closes) by lightly tapping the corner of each eye. This sign can sometimes indicate the location of the tick – if the tick has attached on the left side of the head, often the left eye will be more affected than the right. Sometimes you may think your pet is blinking fully, but the eyelids aren’t quite meeting – this can manifest as a ‘gunky eye’.

DYSPNOEA – increased respiratory effort. In severe cases, your pet may be anxious and panting or have a notable increase in effort breathing. In addition, some affected animals make an abnormal noise when breathing, like a grunt or a wheeze.

ABNORMAL VOCALISATION – paralysis of the vocal cords can affect your pet’s voice, so if it’s quieter than usual or sounds different, this can be a sign of tick paralysis.

SORE –  paralysis ticks bury their mouthparts deep into the skin and cause quite a marked skin reaction (leaving a large crater), so this can be quite sore. Some dogs will resent you checking these areas, so get someone to help you hold the dog to check more closely in sensitive spots.

ABNORMAL BEHAVIOUR – cats in particular do not always show the ‘classical’ signs of tick paralysis until severely affected, but often owners pick up on them being ‘not quite right’ quite early on. If you are concerned, call or visit your vet.

Treatment of Tick Paralysis

How do I know when my dog or cat requires treatment?

If your pet shows any signs of tick paralysis, do not delay seeking veterinary treatment. Tick venom binds quite slowly to the receptors in the body that cause paralysis, so even if the tick is found and removed, tick paralysis typically gets worse over the next 72hrs. This steady onset means that if you already see signs, your animal will likely worsen without treatment.

What does tick treatment involve, and how does it work?

Once tick paralysis is diagnosed, reducing your animal’s stress is crucial. Even tick treatment procedures may cause stress; therefore, the vet will almost always give a sedative to your pet on the first day. For dogs, a catheter will be placed into the leg vein to allow intravenous administration of the tick serum. Also, anaphylactic reactions are RARE in dogs, but the chance of a reaction is slightly higher if a dog has received tick serum before. Your vet will weigh up the risk to your animal. Essentially, if your dog is already showing signs of paralysis, the risk of death by not treating is higher than the risk of anaphylaxis.

The tick serum is diluted and warmed to body temperature, then given quite slowly to help avoid anaphylactic reactions to the serum.

For cats, tick serum is usually administered by intraperitoneal injection – which means a needle is inserted into the abdomen, and the serum injected into the space between the abdominal organs. The tick serum absorbs into the bloodstream from the peritoneal space (abdomen) steadily and slowly. The risk of anaphylactic reactions is higher in cats than dogs as the serum is prepared from dog blood, but it is still very rare. If the vet feels your cat is at a higher risk (for example, if your cat has received tick serum before), they may elect to give purified tick serum. This is a more expensive serum, and often the cat will be in the hospital a little while longer than if normal tick serum is used, but the risk of anaphylaxis is reduced.

If your animal is stable enough, they may be clipped immediately. Clipping is an essential part of tick treatment because, without clipping, it is difficult to be sure that no further ticks are present. In addition, the clip has the added benefit of allowing you to more easily check your pet for ticks for the next couple of months when another tick would cause paralysis much faster.

If your pet is not taking tick prevention, a topical tick prevention product will be applied to kill any ticks not found during the initial check and clip. In addition, your pet will be regularly searched by different people to ensure any other ticks are likely to be found before the venom causes clinical deterioration.

Complications can arise that may require further treatment. If your pet is persistently vomiting, anti-emetic (anti-vomiting) drugs may be given to reduce this. Because the ability to swallow is reduced or absent with the majority of tick cases, there is a risk your pet could aspirate, where the vomit is inhaled into the lungs. Another common complication with the inability to swallow is dehydration, as we cannot give your pet food or water by mouth. If your pet is dehydrated on presentation or has multi-day stay in hospital it is likely that the veterinary team will likely administer fluids either under the skin (subcutaneous fluids) or directly into a vein (intravenous fluids). If your pet’s breathing is severely affected at presentation then supplementary oxygen therapy can also be administered, either temporarily until your pet settles down and begins breathing more normally, or for longer periods during their hospital stay.  If your pet has already aspirated food, water, vomit or saliva, antibiotics will also be administered as part of tick treatment.

Do I need to treat my pet differently after tick treatment?

Often animals will need to be rested for several weeks after treatment. Resting ensures they do not overexert themselves from excitement and harm the heart muscles. Remember, your pet will still be in a weak condition and will need time to recover completely.

Don’t delay and call 02 6652 1566 today for advice or immediate tick treatment and prevention.

What people think

Jodie Parker
Jodie Parker
10:54 13 Aug 24
Evan Riddell
Evan Riddell
09:46 13 Aug 24
My cat Kevin recently visited Rose Ave Veterinary Hospital and I was extremely impressed by the care and attention he received. He’s not the easiest of cats, especially when away from his home, but the staff went out of their way to ensure his anxieties were well taken care of. He was so calm and content. Thanks so much.
John Parker
John Parker
07:44 13 Aug 24
I recently had my dog, Mintie at Rose Avenue Vet Hospital. What great service! The vet was so knowledgeable and was excellent at communicating with me about my dog's treatment. The nurses were so friendly and caring. I can't thank them enough.
Sandy Parker
Sandy Parker
07:32 13 Aug 24
Pyke Thompson
Pyke Thompson
03:55 27 Feb 24
Peaceful location and great 👍
Kylie Rollans
Kylie Rollans
05:23 07 Dec 23
very helpful
HR Gordon
HR Gordon
13:15 13 Nov 23
Rose avenue vet has been the vet to my 5 dogs for 14 years. The service and professionalism is beyond reproach. I would not go anywhere else. Thank you for all the great care you've given my furry babies and thank you for the sensitivity and care you gave Lulu when we had to make the hard decision to let her go after 11 years.
Tommie Strydom
Tommie Strydom
09:50 13 Oct 23
I have been going to Rose Ave for over twenty years ago. Damon yesterday was incredibly helpful and understanding which I appreciated.
Carmel Daly
Carmel Daly
22:24 24 Aug 23
Andrew and his team have been looking after our dogs for over 20 years. The depth of knowledge at this practice is amazing and the love and care taken with our fur babies is exceptional. Thank you
Ann Nojin
Ann Nojin
05:03 18 Aug 23
I have nothing but high praise for the diligent team at Rose Avenue Veterinary Clinic, where the care factor ranks high on their priority list. The way the they show love for our fur baby allows us to feel confident, secure, and relieved when we have needed to leave him in their care. Thank you..🩷💚💜🐾
Diane McCarthy
Diane McCarthy
23:17 17 Aug 23
Very professional service with great knowledge and trustworthiness! Very experienced team that will always go the extra mile. Amazing team with a warm welcome. Gus is very lucky to have this team apart of his life :)
Jacob Gregg
Jacob Gregg
04:12 11 Aug 23
Rose Avenue never disappoints!The nurses and vets have always looked after our little boy Gus, no matter the issue. They are very experienced and we have never had any problems with their care.Thanks team 🙌🏽
M Riley
M Riley
03:28 11 Aug 23
We took our most beloved Boof here last week when life suddenly took a sudden turn for him and they were so amazing, with him and us.I really couldn’t thank you enough for the support you gave us. Thank you 🙏
Cass
Cass
11:49 31 Jul 23
Midday on a Saturday and they saw our female Chihuahua at a moment's notice and quickly put our minds at ease. Very happy with their service and cost was very reasonable for a Saturday
Andrew Marnoch
Andrew Marnoch
02:57 29 Jun 23
Rose ave Vets have looked after our family pets and most recently Looked after my dogs for for the last 3 years. Great reception staff and Vets❤️
Woodcraft Gallery
Woodcraft Gallery
07:15 13 Jun 23
Definitely highly recommend Rose Vet Coffs HarbourThey saved my dogs lifeI've been coming here with my fur baby for yearsYour fur babies are in terrific hands.The staff are absolutely amazing .
Michelle jarzynski
Michelle jarzynski
04:15 24 Apr 23
Friendly staff.
Kim McKinnon
Kim McKinnon
09:18 21 Apr 23
Great place they look after my cats very well
Tracey Foster
Tracey Foster
00:08 16 Apr 23
Annmaree ofOz
Annmaree ofOz
20:25 16 Mar 23
Best veterinary team on the coast, very caring, very professional, I wouldn't go any where different.
Gwen Butler
Gwen Butler
20:37 02 Oct 22
Very good
Hilda Quinn
Hilda Quinn
07:23 28 Sep 22
Very happy with consultation and diagnosis.
Carol Harris
Carol Harris
06:50 18 Aug 22
The staff are beautiful. I can not thank them enough for the care they gave my big boy Pokey and letting us say good bye.And I just received a beautiful sympathy card off the nurses and they put his paw prints inside was so lovely. Thank u
pamella henderson
pamella henderson
04:23 12 Aug 22
Caring and professional staff.
Laura Bowden
Laura Bowden
09:36 28 May 22
Awesome, Lovely people.
Kristy Richter
Kristy Richter
03:07 27 Apr 22
Great staff, reasonable prices..
Katrina Bunch
Katrina Bunch
10:21 29 Mar 22
Helped our little man on a Sunday afternoon with an emergency. Great outcome, happy to recommend.
Michael Brant
Michael Brant
04:06 03 Mar 22
Jannaya Burnett
Jannaya Burnett
23:28 23 Feb 22
Excellent and compassionate service.
Phill Robbins
Phill Robbins
13:00 04 Feb 22
Ron McWha
Ron McWha
20:31 18 Jan 22
Awesome place great vets and more than happy to recommend this place to any animal lover...we back again and happy customers...
Jason Page
Jason Page
22:54 17 Jan 22
Very Friendly, Helpful and Caring staff..
Ant Man
Ant Man
01:55 05 Jan 22
Great Vet care , when you own a pet , big or small . They become family and Rose Ave Vet Clinic understands this , they treat your pets with compassion and respect .
Dags Harding
Dags Harding
07:06 22 Oct 21
Adrian Stanborough
Adrian Stanborough
19:13 16 Oct 21
Great staff and know their stuff!
David Dawkins
David Dawkins
05:59 17 Sep 21
Can't fault them!
Lynne S
Lynne S
08:37 29 Aug 21
Elizabeth matson
Elizabeth matson
19:09 21 Jul 21
Rose Avenue Vets and nursing staff are true angels who go above and beyond to help care for furry family members. You can be sure that your pet is in the safest and caring of hands when at Rose Avenue. I could not speak more highly of how professional, thorough, and kind the team are. With an extra big thank you to Vet Astrid for going the extra mile and for being so gentle and understanding.
Sandie
Sandie
08:57 18 Jun 21
ANNA CECATO
ANNA CECATO
10:30 06 May 21
Trina Creaven
Trina Creaven
09:46 29 Apr 21
Good helpful staff
Rose Van-Rooy Phillips
Rose Van-Rooy Phillips
07:35 17 Apr 21
Great friendly service and support.
Julie Voysey
Julie Voysey
06:12 17 Mar 21
Brilliant live in Glen innes drive to roses vet. Three hour drive. Worth the trip.
Mark Nolan
Mark Nolan
10:25 04 Mar 21
John Gall
John Gall
22:56 27 Feb 21
Wonderful people, excellent service. Thank you!
Anna Sawicki
Anna Sawicki
23:12 18 Jan 21
Natalie Gray
Natalie Gray
21:00 14 Jan 21
Thanks heaps rose Avenue vet done a great job with my dog bella made my xmas a lot better she's home now better than ever 👍
Bryce Brown
Bryce Brown
02:49 23 Dec 20
Very professional with logical and detailed explanation of situation and how why various tests were being carried on my beautiful pet. Very happy with the capability of staff
Steve McGrane
Steve McGrane
19:24 28 Nov 20
John Loundon
John Loundon
19:45 22 Nov 20
Staff are always friendly, and of course excellent with your fur babies.
Shannon Keogh
Shannon Keogh
02:16 28 Aug 20
Staff are lovely
Chels
Chels
04:25 01 Aug 20
Staff are so friendly here and looked after Misty-lou wonderfully
Edwin Farrawell
Edwin Farrawell
07:15 09 Jul 20
Shane Cutmore
Shane Cutmore
07:49 08 Jun 20
Vg staff
Aaron Lowe
Aaron Lowe
22:29 03 Mar 20
Sue Ridge
Sue Ridge
22:36 01 Mar 20
badminty 01
badminty 01
04:17 25 Feb 20
Best care for your animals large or small
amanda smith
amanda smith
08:55 19 Feb 20
jeff meys
jeff meys
02:41 15 Feb 20
Wonderful caring not to expensive
Denise Newman
Denise Newman
07:20 10 Feb 20
Caroline Smith
Caroline Smith
02:47 29 Jan 20
The staff at rose Avenue were incredibly helpful and kind and very informative. Will go back when the need arises.
Bekalena93
Bekalena93
00:22 18 Jan 20
Puppy daycare. On holidays wife wanted some retail therapy. Dropped dogs off for a few hours. Brilliant service. Friendly staff.
Andrew Reddan
Andrew Reddan
08:38 10 Jan 20
Gregory Parsons
Gregory Parsons
01:06 10 Jan 20
Wonderful, helpful and honest
Robert Couchman
Robert Couchman
04:04 07 Jan 20
Good friendly staff that took great care with my dog.
Graeme Herbert
Graeme Herbert
02:35 29 Nov 19
Kymberly Halcrow
Kymberly Halcrow
09:41 15 Nov 19
Very caring, friendly and informative staff
Kardy Meardy
Kardy Meardy
07:45 05 Nov 19
Adam Rollans
Adam Rollans
03:38 03 Oct 19
Great veterans and great staff
Bob Campling
Bob Campling
04:23 02 Sep 19
Karen Oliver
Karen Oliver
10:35 01 Sep 19
I was traveling up the coast with my 5month old puppy Benson when I noticed a tic on his neck. The staff and vet at Rose Ave Vet where so nice, understandable and brilliant. They checked Benson , found 2 more ticks, bathed him, looked after him and didn't charged the earth. Thank you so much, I am very greatful.
Hanna Slowinski
Hanna Slowinski
10:08 06 Aug 19
Great staff and care for fur babies
Lara freeman
Lara freeman
09:05 06 Aug 19
T Parker
T Parker
12:15 06 Jul 19
We recently had to euthanise our dear old cat of 21 years. The staff at Rose Avenue Vet could not have been more helpful, professional or compassionate. They were truly brilliant at the time and with a lovely follow up.
Deahne
Deahne
09:10 07 May 19
Lady's in office are so nice
Sam Matthews
Sam Matthews
22:34 01 May 19
Very good staff
Cody Fellows
Cody Fellows
20:50 18 Apr 19
Very supportive through a very hard time
Jourdi Blyth
Jourdi Blyth
08:45 26 Nov 18
adrian stanborough
adrian stanborough
23:59 16 Nov 18
On holiday when our dog became ill called in without app on a saturday was seen by the vet who was very through got a diagnosis and treated him. Cost very reasonable. Very clean and friendly staff.
Cath Booker
Cath Booker
07:11 29 Oct 18
Cannot speak highly enough of the care provided to my pets by the Vets , the nurses and staff at Rose Avenue and Toormina Veterinary Hospitals. Always courteous and friendly and everyone goes out of their way to provide the best service they possibly can.
Lynece Schutt
Lynece Schutt
01:49 20 Oct 18
Efficient and caring staff.
Tony Rance
Tony Rance
05:11 18 Sep 18
They were very helpful and caring looking after our sick dog. After a stay in the hospital we had a good result.
Adrian Rosanna
Adrian Rosanna
08:59 11 Aug 18
Rozz Parsons
Rozz Parsons
04:06 17 Jul 18
Kiri Anna
Kiri Anna
00:37 27 Jun 18
Andrew is a great vet, staff are nice and friendly
DEE DEE Animal farm
DEE DEE Animal farm
04:25 23 Jun 18
miniscoob
miniscoob
04:23 05 Jun 18
Very caring and understanding. Explained things really well.
Kylie Smith
Kylie Smith
21:34 12 Apr 18
Kind staff. Plenty of treats.
Lauren Booth
Lauren Booth
10:27 11 Mar 18
Julie Mason
Julie Mason
08:17 06 Mar 18
We received very thorough treatment with a knowledgeable and caring vet. We were advised of costs clearly so that we knew what we could afford. thank you
Tim Welsh
Tim Welsh
10:24 25 Jan 18
js_loader