My dog is on a preventative. Do I still need to check for ticks?

Yes. Preventatives work by killing ticks after they attach — there is a window (typically a few hours) before the tick dies. Daily checks allow you to find and remove ticks before they can inject significant toxin, providing an additional layer of protection.

Can cats get paralysis tick?

Yes. Cats are also susceptible to tick toxicity, though they tend to progress more slowly than dogs. Cats are more sensitive to many tick preventatives — never use a dog product on a cat. Ask your vet for cat-specific options.

I live in a capital city. Do I need to worry?

It depends on your city and suburb. In Sydney, suburbs backing onto national parks and bushland (particularly on the northern beaches, upper north shore, and outer west) have high tick density. In Brisbane, inner suburbs are generally lower risk than hinterland areas. In Melbourne, most inner and middle-ring suburbs are low risk, but the Dandenong Ranges and East Gippsland are not. If you're unsure, ask your local vet.

What does a paralysis tick look like versus a brown dog tick?

The paralysis tick (*I. holocyclus*) has a distinctive pale body with grey-brown legs and a teardrop shape when engorged. The common brown dog tick (*Rhipicephalus sanguineus*) is darker brown and more elongated. The distinction matters less than the action — any tick found on a dog in eastern coastal Australia should be removed promptly, and the dog should be monitored.

Care & education

Paralysis Tick Prevention for Dogs in Australia — State-by-State Guide

Ixodes holocyclus (paralysis tick) kills dogs every year along Australia's eastern coast. This guide covers the risk zones, tick season, prevention products, and what to do if your dog shows symptoms.

By atticus · 9 min read · Last updated 17 May 2026

Paralysis tick (Ixodes holocyclus) is one of Australia's most serious veterinary threats. Unlike most tick species, which cause irritation and carry disease, the paralysis tick injects a neurotoxin that causes progressive paralytic symptoms and, without treatment, death. Thousands of dogs are treated for tick toxicity in Australia each year. Many don't survive.

If your dog spends any time in bush or coastal scrub along eastern Australia, you need a tick prevention strategy in place before tick season starts.

What Is the Paralysis Tick?

Ixodes holocyclus is a native Australian tick species found exclusively along the eastern coastline. It is not the common brown dog tick (Rhipicephalus sanguineus) found across most of Australia — the brown dog tick can transmit disease but does not produce the same neurotoxin.

The paralysis tick is small at all stages. An unfed adult female (the most dangerous stage for dogs) is about 3mm — roughly the size of a sesame seed. An engorged, feeding tick can swell to 10–12mm. They're most often found in the folds of skin behind the ears, around the neck and collar area, between the toes, in the groin, and around the tail base — but they can attach anywhere on the body.

The neurotoxin (holocyclotoxin) is produced in the tick's salivary glands and injected into the host as the tick feeds. The amount of toxin increases significantly after 3–4 days of attachment, which is when symptoms typically begin. Earlier removal greatly reduces the severity of toxicity.

Geographic Range and Risk Areas

The paralysis tick is found along the humid coastal strip from the tip of Cape York Peninsula (far north Queensland) south to eastern Victoria. It does not extend inland beyond areas of moderate-to-high annual rainfall and scrubby coastal vegetation.

Highest-risk areas by state:

Queensland:

Sunshine Coast hinterland (Noosa Hinterland, Maleny, Montville areas)
South-east Queensland hinterland (Tamborine Mountain, Springbrook, Lamington National Park)
Atherton Tablelands and Cairns hinterland
Sunshine Coast and northern Gold Coast coastal suburbs with bushland backing

New South Wales:

Central Coast (Gosford, Wyong, Lake Macquarie — some of the highest density tick habitat in Australia)
Sydney's outer northern suburbs with bush backing (Ku-ring-gai, Hornsby, Berowra, Palm Beach peninsula)
Hunter Valley coastal fringe (Port Stephens, Anna Bay, Tea Gardens)
Northern Rivers (Byron Bay hinterland, Lismore, Kyogle)
South Coast (Batemans Bay, Bega Valley hinterland)

Victoria:

East Gippsland coastal areas (Lakes Entrance, Mallacoota, Orbost surrounds)
Dandenong Ranges (lower density, but present)
Wilsons Promontory surrounds

Note: If you're travelling with your dog — camping, hiking, or holidaying in any coastal or near-coastal area of eastern Australia — check whether your destination falls within the risk zone and ensure prevention is in place before you go.

Tick Season

Peak paralysis tick season is October–April, aligning broadly with the warmer, wetter months on the east coast. Risk is higher:

After periods of rain and humidity
In dense native vegetation — ground-level scrub, lantana, long grass, bush tracks
In areas with wildlife (bandicoots, possums, and wallabies are the primary hosts for I. holocyclus)

This does not mean ticks are absent outside October–April. In QLD, ticks are present and active year-round due to the consistently warm climate. In coastal NSW, activity reduces in winter but doesn't stop entirely. Year-round prevention is the safest approach in high-risk areas.

Heads up

Tick toxicity can be fatal without treatment. If your dog shows any wobbliness or weakness in the hindquarters after spending time in bush or coastal scrub, go to the vet immediately — do not wait for symptoms to progress.

Symptoms of Tick Toxicity

Symptoms typically appear 3–4 days after the tick attaches and progress over hours. The speed of progression is variable — some dogs deteriorate rapidly, others more slowly. Do not wait for later-stage symptoms to appear before going to the vet.

Early symptoms:

Wobbliness or weakness in the hindquarters — the classic early sign. The dog may appear drunk, crossing their back legs or stumbling when walking.
Change in bark or voice — the toxin affects the laryngeal (voice box) muscles early. A dog that suddenly sounds different when barking or howling should be examined.
Retching or gagging without obvious cause
Loss of appetite

Progressive symptoms:

Weakness spreading from the hindquarters to the forelegs (ascending paralysis)
Increased salivation and difficulty swallowing
Laboured or rapid breathing
Inability to stand

Late-stage (emergency):

Complete paralysis
Respiratory distress — the toxin eventually affects the respiratory muscles
Death from respiratory failure

The clinical course from first symptoms to severe respiratory distress can be as little as 24–72 hours. There is no "wait and see" here.

Treatment

Treatment for tick toxicity requires veterinary care and, in most cases, hospitalisation.

Anti-serum (tick anti-toxin): the primary treatment. Hyperimmune serum derived from dogs previously exposed to the toxin neutralises the circulating toxin. It must be administered by a vet. The earlier it's given, the more effective it is.

Supportive care: sedation to reduce oxygen demand, IV fluids, and respiratory support may be required depending on severity. Dogs with respiratory involvement may need oxygen therapy or mechanical ventilation.

Tick removal: the tick must be removed as early as possible, but removing it does not stop toxin progression — by the time symptoms appear, significant toxin has already been injected. Anti-serum is still required.

Recovery: dogs that receive treatment early often recover well, though recovery can take days to weeks in severe cases. Some dogs require repeat anti-serum. The cost of treatment for tick toxicity in Australia ranges from several hundred to several thousand dollars depending on the severity and duration of hospitalisation.

Prevention

Prescription preventative medications

These are the most reliable prevention available. They work systemically — when a tick attaches and feeds, it ingests the active compound and dies before it can inject a significant amount of toxin.

Bravecto (fluralaner): a chew or spot-on lasting 3 months (chew) or 6 months (spot-on for some species). Highly effective against I. holocyclus.
Nexgard Spectra (afoxolaner + milbemycin): monthly chew. Broad-spectrum (ticks, fleas, intestinal worms, heartworm). Requires prescription.
Simparica Trio (sarolaner + moxidectin + pyrantel): monthly chew. Similar broad-spectrum coverage.

These are prescription products. Your vet will recommend the most appropriate option based on your dog's size, health status, and the other parasite risks in your area. Don't purchase generic or offshore equivalents — efficacy against I. holocyclus specifically has been documented for the products listed above through Australian veterinary trials.

Important: no preventative provides 100% protection against paralysis tick. Preventatives dramatically reduce risk but should be combined with daily tick checks and prompt tick removal.

The Seresto collar

The Seresto collar (imidacloprid + flumethrin) provides 8 months of protection against ticks and fleas. It's a useful option for dogs that don't tolerate oral preventatives well. It is not a prescription product in Australia. Efficacy against I. holocyclus has been demonstrated, though some vets prefer oral preventatives as first-line in high-risk areas.

Daily tick checks

Regardless of what preventative you use, a daily full-body tick check is essential during and after any exposure to bush or coastal scrub.

How to do a thorough tick check:

Run your fingertips slowly through the coat, applying light pressure to feel for any bump or lump that shouldn't be there.
Focus on: around and inside the ears, under the collar, neck folds, behind the elbows, the groin, between the toes, around the tail base, and under the tail.
Don't rush. A small tick is easy to miss on a coated or dark-furred dog.
Check yourself at the same time — paralysis tick also affects humans and cats.

How to remove a tick correctly

Use fine-tipped tweezers. Grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible and pull upward with steady, even pressure. Do not twist, crush, or squeeze the tick body. Squeezing the tick injects more toxin.

Do not use:

Petroleum jelly or nail polish
Heat (matches or cigarettes)
Tick-removal chemicals directly on the tick while attached

After removal, drop the tick into a sealed container (not down the drain, as they can survive). Monitor your dog for symptoms over the following 48–72 hours.

Prevention Summary

Feature	Method	Duration	Effectiveness
Oral isoxazoline (Bravecto, Nexgard Spectra, Simparica Trio)	Monthly or 3-monthly	High	Prescription required; most reliable option for high-risk areas
Seresto collar	Up to 8 months	Moderate-high	Good backup or alternative if oral meds not tolerated
Daily tick check	Daily	Effective when thorough	Essential supplement to any chemical prevention
Avoiding high-risk habitat	Situational	High when practical	Not always possible if you live in or visit tick zones

Paralysis tick prevention options for dogs in eastern Australia. Combine methods for best protection.

Frequently asked questions

Find a TruePath walker near you

Background-checked walkers, GPS-tracked walks, and live photo updates. Most owners book their first walk within an hour.

Find a walker

Keep reading

care

Snake Safety for Dogs in Australia — What Every Owner Needs to Know

Australia has the world's most venomous snakes, and dogs are at high risk during snake season. Learn the signs of snake bite, what to do, and how to reduce the risk on every walk.

care

Dog Exercise Needs by Breed — An Australian Owner's Guide (2026)

How much exercise does your dog actually need? A breed-by-breed breakdown from high-drive working dogs to low-energy companions, with Australian summer adjustments.

care

Walking Dogs in Australian Summer — Heat Safety Rules by City

Heat stroke can kill a dog within hours. This guide covers the safe walk windows for Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, and Adelaide, plus what to do if your dog overheats.