14 of October 2024 my Standard Poodle, Antaeus, passed away due to paralysis caused by a tick bite. Antaeus was usually protected by flea and tick tablets. However, the last time, he vomited 15 minutes after taking his monthly dose. I checked his vomit but didn’t find any trace of the NexGard cube and assumed it had already been absorbed. Few people know that even if your dog is protected with a monthly dose of parasite medication, it doesn’t prevent tick bites. The medication simply kills the attached parasite within 24 hours, which is supposed to reduce the dose of the paralytic toxin entering the body. We must check our pets daily. My mistake was assuming that since I hadn’t let my dogs run in the grass due to heavy rains and had kept them on a concrete-covered area under a roof, there were no ticks. I didn’t check my dogs for a week, and this mistake cost my beloved dog his life and lightened my bank account by three and a half thousand dollars. So, let’s all learn from this terrible situation and try to figure out how to protect ourselves from these nasty, deadly creatures.

1. Don’t skip the monthly parasite prevention medication. It’s possible that for a large dog, the dose released by a tick over 24 hours might not be fatal.

2. Check your dog daily. Inspect the face, look into the folds of the lips, and the eyelids. Pay close attention to the ears and the areas around them. Don’t forget to check inside the ear canal! In my case, the tick that killed Antaeus attached itself to the skin under his ear.

Examine the armpits and groin, and pay attention to the folds near the genitals, tail, and anus. Look over and feel the entire body and legs of the dog, especially between the toes and on the paw pads.

3. If you find a tick, remove it immediately. You can use a special tool or your fingers with a latex glove. However, I recommend getting tools, which are available in many online stores, including AliExpress.

4. Place the removed tick in a jar. Take it, the bitten dog, and head quickly to the vet for a serum injection. If you find the tick within a few hours, remove it, and get the serum, you’ve likely saved your dog.

5. If your dog unexpectedly vomits after eating, becomes unusually quiet, or doesn’t jump on you as usual—these could be signs of toxin exposure. Please don’t delay and go to the vet.

6. If, like me, you missed the early signs and the dog’s legs became paralyzed, you might still have time to save them.

7. If the dog is fully paralyzed and has difficulty breathing, I’m very sorry, but you are likely too late. You can try taking measures to save them, but my experience shows that if the toxin affects the respiratory muscles, it’s the end. Unfortunately, there are overly optimistic articles online about survival after paralysis. In our case, treatment didn’t help; the paralysis progressed, and it was horrible. I wish I could turn back time and prevent my dog from suffering like that.

A few more tips about ticks: they live in grass and, especially in Queensland, Australia, are active all year round. However, the most dangerous periods are spring and summer.

In my hometown, ticks are also a problem for both people and dogs, and we know that ticks are attracted to white clothing. It seems that Australian ticks also prefer the color white, as my white Antaeus was the one affected. If you have a light-colored dog, pay extra attention when checking them after walks.

Let Antaeus’s death not be in vain and serve as a reminder to us all about the importance of preventing the consequences of tick bites. Take care of your pets, and give them time and attention while they are with you. Remember, protecting your dogs is your responsibility and duty.