If you are on the east coast of Australia, paralysis tick season has already started. PetSure’s claims data shows cases climbing from August, peaking through October and November, and not easing off until around February.
I sell tick prevention at the pet store I work in, and every year there are people buying it in October after something has already happened. That is too late. This is what a paralysis tick actually does, what the signs look like in the order they appear, what treatment costs, and the one mistake that kills cats.
This is the emergency and prevention side. If you want a straight comparison of chewables against spot-ons and collars, I have written that separately and linked it at the bottom.
Paralysis tick cases in Australia surge from August through December and peak in October and November, so prevention needs to be in place now rather than later. A single tick can kill a dog or cat. PetSure claims data from 2022 puts the average treatment cost at $2,402 for dogs and $1,859 for cats, with the highest claims reaching $53,331 and $20,348. Watch for hind leg weakness, a changed bark or meow, retching and laboured breathing. Never put a dog tick product on a cat, and keep cats away from a dog that has just been treated.
If you just want the short answer, I would start with Tick Twister Tick Remover Tools, 3 Pack, twist and lift rather than squeezing, in three sizes, safe for dogs, cats and humans.
Check price on AmazonAffiliate link. I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
| Scenario | Typical cost | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Uncomplicated case, caught early | $900 to $2,000 | Emergency vet guidance |
| Average dog claim | $2,402 | PetSure claims data, 2022 |
| Average cat claim | $1,859 | PetSure claims data, 2022 |
| Severe case needing 24 hour life support | $10,000 and up | Emergency vet guidance |
| Highest recorded dog claim | $53,331 | PetSure claims data, 2022 |
| Monthly prevention | $15 to $30 | Retail |
Sources (August 2026): PetSure, tick paralysis claims data, Sydney Animal Hospitals, paralysis tick emergency care, Australian Veterinary Association, permethrin spot-on products
The Season Has Already Started
This is the bit worth acting on today rather than filing away.
PetSure’s claims data shows tick paralysis cases surging from August, peaking in October and November, and declining by February. In endemic areas it happens year round, but the curve is steep and it starts about now.
Prevention products need to be in your pet before the ticks are, not after. If your dog or cat is not currently on something that specifically covers paralysis ticks, this week is the week.
Geographically, the paralysis tick (Ixodes holocyclus) runs down the east coast from far north Queensland to Victoria, and it favours warm humid conditions and bushy vegetation. Vets in tick country are clear that no area within that range is absolutely tick free, so “we have never had one here” is not a prevention strategy.
The Signs, in the Order They Usually Appear
The toxin causes an ascending paralysis, meaning it starts at the back and works forward. Knowing the sequence is what buys you time.
Early:
- A change in the bark or meow. This is one of the most reliable early signs and the one people most often dismiss. The voice goes weak, hoarse or different
- Wobbliness or weakness in the back legs. Reluctance to get up, or a hind end that looks drunk
- Retching, coughing or vomiting, sometimes with excessive drooling
Later:
- Weakness spreading to the front legs, then an inability to stand at all
- Laboured or noisy breathing, which is the dangerous stage
- Eye changes, including reduced ability to blink, or pupils of different sizes
If you see any of the early signs in tick season, that is a vet visit right now, not in the morning. A changed bark plus a wobbly back end is close to diagnostic in tick country.
It Gets Worse Before It Gets Better
This is the part that catches people out, and it is genuinely important.
Finding and removing the tick does not stop the process. The toxin already circulating keeps affecting the nerves after the tick is gone, so an animal will typically deteriorate for a period after removal before it starts improving.
What that means practically: pulling a tick off a wobbly dog and then waiting to see how it goes overnight is how animals die. Removal is the first step, not the treatment. If your pet is showing any signs, it needs to be seen regardless of whether you got the tick out.
It also means the reverse is worth knowing. If your pet is deteriorating at the vet in the first day, that is expected rather than a sign treatment is failing.
What It Actually Costs
Here is the maths that makes prevention an easy decision.
PetSure, which handles claims for a large share of the Australian pet insurance market, published figures from 2022 showing an average claim of $2,402 for dogs and $1,859 for cats. The highest single claims were $53,331 for a dog and $20,348 for a cat.
Emergency vet guidance puts an uncomplicated case caught early at roughly $900 to $2,000, with complications easily doubling that. A severe case needing round-the-clock life support and mechanical ventilation starts around $10,000 and climbs from there.
Against that, prevention is somewhere around $15 to $30 a month depending on the product and your pet’s size.
Treatment involves tick antiserum administered as fast as possible, plus supportive care, which can mean intravenous fluids, oxygen, sedation, medication to reduce salivation, antibiotics if the animal has inhaled saliva or food, and in the worst cases mechanical ventilation at a specialist centre.
This is also one of the clearest arguments for pet insurance, and a good example of the sort of sudden five figure bill that insurance exists for. Worth reading the policy on waiting periods before you assume you are covered.
Never Put a Dog Tick Product on a Cat
If you take one safety point from this, take this one, because it kills cats every year and it is entirely preventable.
Permethrin is safe for dogs and highly toxic to cats. Cats lack the liver enzyme needed to break it down. Signs of poisoning include drooling, muscle twitching, tremors and seizures, and there is no antidote. Treatment is supportive care only, and it is not always successful.
The part most people do not know: a cat can be poisoned by contact with a dog that was treated recently. Cats that groom or curl up against a dog treated up to 48 hours earlier have been affected. This is why Australian labels for permethrin dog spot-ons are required to carry the warning to keep cats separated from recently treated dogs, following work by the Australian Veterinary Association and the APVMA.
So in a household with both:
- Never apply a dog product to a cat, even a smaller dose. It is not a dosing problem, it is a metabolism problem
- Check whether your dog product contains permethrin, and if it does, keep them apart until it has dried and absorbed
- Buy a product actually labelled for cats, and if in doubt ask a vet rather than guessing
Cats get tick paralysis too, and their claim data shows it. They need prevention, just not that prevention.
Searching, and What to Do If You Find One
Prevention products are not perfect, so daily searching is still part of the job in tick season.
Work with your fingertips through the coat, not your eyes. Cover the whole animal but pay particular attention to the head, neck, ears, under the collar, around the mouth and between the toes, which is where most attach. Clipping a long-haired pet over summer makes this far easier and vets in tick areas routinely recommend it.
If you find one:
- Remove it promptly with a proper tick removal tool. Twist and lift rather than squeezing the body, since squeezing can inject more toxin
- Do not try to kill it first with methylated spirits, petrol or a hot match. Old advice, and it can make things worse
- Keep the tick if you can, so the vet can confirm what it was
- Keep searching. Where there is one there are often more
- Watch closely for at least 24 hours, and go straight to a vet at the first sign of a changed voice, wobbliness or retching
Keep the animal calm and cool while you get to a vet. Excitement and heat make the paralysis worse, so no walking them in, and no stress if you can avoid it.
Tick Searching and Removal Kit
The searching and removal side. For a proper comparison of chewables, spot-ons and collars, see my flea and tick guide linked below, and talk to your vet about which product suits your pet, particularly if you have cats in the house. (these are affiliate links)
This guide contains affiliate links. If you buy through them we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only point to gear I would actually use or sell.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is paralysis tick season in Australia?
Cases surge from August, peak through October and November, and decline by around February, based on PetSure claims data. In endemic areas paralysis ticks occur year round, so prevention should be continuous rather than seasonal, but the risk climbs steeply from late winter. Paralysis ticks are found along the east coast from far north Queensland down to Victoria, and vets in tick country are clear that no area within that range is completely tick free.
What are the first signs of tick paralysis in a dog?
A change in the bark is one of the earliest and most commonly missed signs, along with weakness or wobbliness in the back legs, and retching, coughing or vomiting. The paralysis is ascending, so it starts at the back and moves forward, later affecting the front legs, breathing, and the eyes, where you may see reduced blinking or pupils of different sizes. Any of the early signs during tick season warrants an immediate vet visit rather than waiting overnight.
How much does tick paralysis treatment cost in Australia?
PetSure claims data from 2022 shows an average claim of $2,402 for dogs and $1,859 for cats, with the highest claims reaching $53,331 and $20,348 respectively. Emergency vet guidance puts an uncomplicated case caught early at roughly $900 to $2,000, with complications doubling that, and a severe case needing 24 hour life support starting around $10,000. Monthly prevention costs roughly $15 to $30 by comparison.
Does removing the tick stop the paralysis?
No, and this is the most dangerous misunderstanding. The toxin already circulating in the body keeps affecting the nerves after the tick is removed, so animals typically get worse before they get better. Removing the tick is the first step, not the treatment. If your pet is showing any signs, it needs veterinary attention regardless of whether you removed the tick, and waiting overnight to see how it goes is how animals die.
Can I use a dog tick treatment on my cat?
No. Permethrin, which is common in dog tick products, is highly toxic to cats because they lack the liver enzyme to break it down. Signs include drooling, twitching, tremors and seizures, and there is no antidote, only supportive care. Cats can also be poisoned by close contact with a dog treated up to 48 hours earlier, which is why Australian labels require a warning to keep cats separated from recently treated dogs. Always use a product labelled for cats.