Have had two dogs with it, one also diagnosed with Rocky mountain spotted fever. Both presented with hind end paralysis and pain in joints, once on all fours would stand with roached back. Onset was literally overnight, with both dogs perfectly fine, eating, running, swimming, etc..next morning they couldn't move. Initially thought spinal injury the first time it happened.
Treated with doxycycline and rimadyl for pain and inflammation. Went over with a fine tooth comb (seed ticks on a 90lb chocolate lab are NOT easy to find!). Once they were removed and meds given, within just a few hrs the dogs could get up and walk stiffly, stand on three legs to pee, etc... within 12 hrs they were fine again. No lingering after effects. Vet did say that they could be more susceptible to having it again with other ticks in the future, but at least now I know what the symptoms look like and won't spend over $500 trying to come up with differential diagnosis's like the first time!!
My 11 year old boy is in trouble. The current "tentative diagnosis" is tick bite paralysis. He was tested for myasthenia gravis & it was negative.
Ir you have dealt with this, I would be very grateful if you can share anything you know or did about it. TIA
My understanding is that it is caused by a tick and you must find and remove the tick, and the problem will go away! If you don't remove that tick, things can get serious!
If you have searched and searched for the tick with no luck, try bathing the dog and leaving the soap/shampoo on for ten minutes or so. It should kill the tick.
Many years ago I had a middle aged Lab with concurrent Lyme disease and partial paralysis that was moving up his body. Amitraz collar (Preventic) was recommended to get any unseen ticks to DETACH at their mouth. CAUTION: run this by your vet as Amitraz is Mitaban, and can not be used with some meds, internal and external. Botulism is one differential diagnosis, I think, as is tetanus, if I remember correctly, as is any spinal injury.
Also, I took him as he started to recover to an alternative vet who gave him acupuncture and got him able to walk and move his neck again. I had thought carrying him in and out was going to kill ME and my baby, as I was pregnant. He was not so bad before the acupuncture: His lungs and heart were NOT affected, and, again, the vets (several practices were visited!) were not sure that tick paralysis was what he had. Hope Tickle's boy Talon feels better soon!
NOT Certifect, Preventic? with caution Re: tick bite paralysis?
I just got off the phone with someone who got a call about a dog she bred having a reaction to the "new Frontline" that has Amitraz in it: Certifect. I'd go with the collar, as it can be taken off more easily if there is a problem, and I've never had a problem with a big dog or a small dog with the Amitraz collar--yet. The dog who reacted was an older small terrier breed, not a Lab, but the timing was amazing. I had just posted.
NOT Certifect, Preventic? with caution Re: tick bite paralysis?
Our vet was having so many cases of that about 3 Summers back. But she said as soon as you pull the tick off they start getting better. I think the bath sounds like a good idea in Dawn. To bad Capstar is just for fleas. Just search for tick. But she made it sound like no after affects if this is what it is.
