Attachment-site preferences of Ixodes holocyclus, the eastern paralysis tick of Australia: insights from 10,311 cases of tick infestations in dogs and cats.

Abstract

The eastern paralysis tick of Australia, Ixodes holocyclus, is by far the most important ectoparasite of dogs and cats in eastern Australia. In spite of the development of tick-antisera and the availability of highly effective tick-preventative medications, thousands of dogs and cats present to veterinary clinics and hospitals with signs of tick paralysis each year; about 10% of these dogs and 8% of these cats may die from tick paralysis or are euthanized due to severe signs of tick envenomation. One of the mainstays of optimising patient outcome of dogs and cats with signs of tick paralysis is the prompt removal of the tick. In the present paper, we studied 10,913 attachment-sites of I. holocyclus arising from 10,311 veterinary consultations of dogs and cats in eastern Australia. This is, to our knowledge, the largest study of attachment-site preference of I. holocyclus on dogs and cats. We found that whereas I. holocyclus is most often found on the head of dogs, on cats, these ticks are most often found on their necks. In addition, we report attachment-site preferences of adult and immature (larval and nymphal) I. holocyclus. We also highlight some unusual and inconspicuous attachment-sites of I. holocyclus, which may be informative to veterinarians and pet owners alike.