Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Where ticks like to attach on dogs and cats in eastern Australia
By Teo, Ejm et al.·Published in Australian veterinary journal·2025·Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Japan·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Attachment-site preferences of Ixodes holocyclus, the eastern paralysis tick of Australia: insights from 10,311 cases of tick infestations in dogs and cats.
Plain-English summary
A study of over 10,000 cases found that the eastern paralysis tick, which can cause serious health issues in dogs and cats, is most commonly found on the head of dogs and the neck of cats. Despite the availability of effective tick prevention treatments, many pets still suffer from tick paralysis, which can be life-threatening. The best way to help a pet showing signs of tick paralysis is to remove the tick as soon as possible. This research provides valuable information for pet owners and veterinarians on where to look for these dangerous ticks on their pets.
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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.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41111127/