TICKS: You may or may not be aware that the tick season is already underway, and this year is predicted to be an extremely bad season due to the warmer weather earlier on in the year. The number of pets reacting particularly badly this season and being put on ventilators for a week are already escalating compared to recent years, with paralysis being this seasons worst symptom to be treated. I cannot urge you enough to use tick protection now and regularly, and to conduct daily checks to help our friends with these nasty creatures. Ticks grow fairly rapidly once attached to your pet so what you cant see one day can be easier to find the next. I recently met a new client who lives near a bush area who rushed their cat to the vets where they gave up counting after 35 ticks were removed. Most of the ticks were early on in their life cycle and were less than the size of a pin prick and two of them were gorged adults. I have also learned that a physical sign of a suspected tick bite can be soreness in the general area, not just the spot e.g. tick can be on the edge of the eye but the entire face can be sore and the pet doesn’t want you to touch it. (Please also remember Petmates only carries out tick checks for pet minding visits when no other person is staying with that pet for the period you are away and we cannot be liable, but I hope you also know by now I will always do my best by your pet. Useful websites: www.tickalert.org.au http://www.pittwateranimalhospital.com.au/ticks.html
http://www.allambievet.com.au/artman2/publish/Manly_Daily_Articles/Tick_Season.shtml
