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Ongoing wet weather down the east coast of Australia has led to fears of a spike in tick numbers this summer with one vet practice warning of a national shortage of anti-serums which could leave pets at risk.
However, advice for pet owners is to keep up to date with preventative treatments and avoid stockpiling to minimise the chances of issues this summer.
Greencross Vets, the largest veterinary services provider in Australia, says tick anti-toxin serum supplies have plummeted on Australia’s east coast and are almost out of stock nationally.
Greencross Vets chief veterinary officer Dr Magdoline Awad said paralysis ticks are extremely dangerous and the national shortage of anti-toxin serum could threaten the lives of pets across the nation.
“This is a serious situation unfolding and we are very concerned about the risk to pets as tick serum supplies are rapidly diminishing,” she said.
“We want pet owners to be aware that ticks can be life-threatening and any pets who are not currently protected by a preventative treatment need to be immediate.
“This is a very preventable disease.
“There are many tick preventatives available that provide excellent protection for dogs and cats which are easy to administer and may save your pet’s life.”
However one of the leading suppliers, Australian Veterinary Serum Laboratories (AVSL), told 9news.com.au that while supplies of the anti-toxin serum are “tight”, there will be plenty of availability during the summer – if pet owners keep up with preventative measures.
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“It’s tight but we don’t want people stockpiling it like toilet paper,” a spokesperson said.
The AVSL spokesperson said the diminished supply is due to an increase in paralysis cases as residents on the east coast fail to keep up with preventative methods and the wet weather causes tick numbers to spike.
The spokesperson said people not keeping up with treatments may be due to cost of living pressures and, particularly for residents who have been impacted by recent flooding, tick prevention simply wasn’t a priority.
Ticks are more prevalent in bushy coastal areas in Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria.
And after the recent floods in three states and the ongoing impacts of La Nina, the number of parasites is surging.
“We are seeing ticks in plague proportions after the wet weather,” Lennox Head Vet Clinic said.
Pet owners are urged to search animal coats and fur for ticks and keep up to date with tick treatments amid the national shortage.
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