As emergency cases surge by nearly 30%, a landmark study of over 10,000 cases reveals the surprising places paralysis ticks prefer to hide on pets.
As National Tick Awareness Month approaches this September, Australia’s largest-ever study into paralysis tick attachment sites reveals where ticks prefer to hide—including surprising places many owners forget to check.
Paralysis tick season is already proving brutal, with emergency veterinary hospitals reporting a 29% surge in cases across New South Wales compared to the previous year.
According to data from the Small Animal Specialist Hospital (SASH), staff treated over 400 dogs and cats for tick paralysis between August 2025 and February 2026. Alarmingly, vets report seeing active cases throughout the winter months, proving that paralysis ticks are no longer just a spring and summer threat.
With cases also rising in pets that travel into tick-endemic coastal regions with their families, Australian pet owners are being urged to maintain year-round vigilance and effective preventative protection.
Where Do Ticks Hide? Landmark Study Pinpoints Attachment Sites
A landmark Australian study analysing over 10,000 tick paralysis cases across Brisbane, the Gold Coast, the Sunshine Coast, and Sydney’s Northern Beaches has provided crucial insights into where paralysis ticks (Ixodes holocyclus) prefer to attach.
Infographic source: NexGard SPECTRA® paralysis tick attachment site study (Teo, EJM., et al. 2025).
The research confirmed that pet owners should always prioritise the head and front of the body during daily checks:
- Head, Neck, and Ears: Accounted for 73% of ticks found on dogs and 63% on cats.
- Unusual Hiding Spots: Researchers identified critical "hidden" attachment sites, including inside the mouth (on the gums and tongue), inside the nostrils, deep within the external ear canals, and around the genitalia.
Finding and removing a paralysis tick as quickly as possible is life-saving, as the neurotoxin injected by the tick continually worsens the longer it remains attached.
"Finding and removing the tick quickly is critical," explains Dr. Tim Hopkins, Emergency Veterinarian at SASH Northern Beaches.
“Many people check the obvious places but don’t realise ticks can also attach inside the mouth or ear canals—hidden sites that can delay detection and increase the risk of severe, life-threatening illness.”
"As well as searching for ticks, the best way to protect dogs and cats is to use a highly effective tick control product from the Isoxazoline class, such as NexGard SPECTRA®, all year round," Dr. Hopkins adds.
Real-Life Emergencies: Halley & Gummy
The speed at which tick paralysis escalates can catch even the most diligent owners off guard.
- Halley's Story: Halley, a NSW family dog, went from completely healthy to critically ill over the Christmas period within just a few hours. After an unnoticed tick left her weak and wobbly, she required three nights in intensive emergency care followed by weeks of monitoring at home before making a full recovery.
- Gummy's Story: Gummy the cat suffered rapid respiratory failure after a tick bite. Her life was saved only after seven days of 24/7 intensive care, including mechanical ventilation, tick antiserum, and advanced life support.
Vets advise owners to seek immediate emergency care if they notice early warning signs, including wobbliness, hind leg weakness, a change in their bark/meow, laboured breathing, coughing, or vomiting.
Vets advise owners to seek immediate emergency care if they notice early warning signs, including wobbliness, hind leg weakness, a change in their bark/meow, laboured breathing, coughing, or vomiting.
Daily Tick Search Routine
Even when using an effective preventative, performing a thorough daily physical search remains a vital line of defence against tick paralysis.
- The 'Finger Walk': Gently move your fingertips through the coat at skin level, feeling for any small bumps, scabs, or raised areas.
- Start at the Top: Focus on the head, face, and neck first. Carefully check inside the ears, under the collar, and look inside the lips and gums.
- Paws & Legs: Move down the front legs to the paws, checking thoroughly between the toes, around the pads, and under the armpits.
- Body & Tail: Search the chest, belly, back, groin, and all the way to the tip of the tail.
- Consider a Clip: For long-coated or thick-furred dogs, clipping the coat short during peak spring and summer months makes daily searches significantly easier and more reliable.
For more information on paralysis tick prevention, visit your local veterinarian or consult the NexGard Range.
Reference: Teo, EJM., et al. (2025) Attachment-site preferences of Ixodes holocyclus, the eastern paralysis tick of Australia: insights from 10,311 cases of tick infestations in dogs and cats. Australian Veterinary Journal.
