Planning a trip with the dog? Ticks are the thing that catches people out
Plenty of Australians take their dogs on road trips, camping runs and interstate moves. Most owners think about food, bedding and where the dog can swim. Fewer think about the fact that parasite risk changes the moment you cross a state border, or even drive a few hundred kilometres up the coast. A dog that’s never needed tick prevention at home in Melbourne can be in real danger within days of arriving in northern NSW or the Whitsundays.
This isn’t about scaring anyone off a holiday. It’s about knowing what’s out there before you go, so a bush walk or a beach camp doesn’t end with an emergency vet visit.
Paralysis ticks along the east coast
The paralysis tick (Ixodes holocyclus) is the one that causes the most serious illness in dogs in Australia. According to the RSPCA Knowledgebase, it is generally found along the eastern seaboard from north Queensland down to Victoria, mostly in or near bush and scrub, though it can also turn up inland where the habitat suits it.
Paralysis ticks can be found all year round in the north, while in more southern areas the season generally runs from spring to late autumn, and it can start early after a mild winter. A single tick, often no bigger than a grain of rice before it feeds, can be enough to cause life-threatening paralysis.
Signs of paralysis tick toxicity
- Wobbly or weak back legs, often the first thing owners notice
- A change in bark or voice, sounding hoarse or different
- Coughing, gagging or vomiting
- Noisy or laboured breathing
- Increased drooling
The Merck Veterinary Manual notes that signs usually appear three to five days after the tick attaches, then progress rapidly over the next 24 to 48 hours. This is not something to wait out overnight.
Brown dog ticks and ehrlichiosis in the north
Travel further north or into central Australia, including the Northern Territory, northern Western Australia (particularly the Kimberley) and parts of northern Queensland, and the main tick concern shifts to the brown dog tick (Rhipicephalus sanguineus). Unlike paralysis ticks, brown dog ticks don’t need bushland. They’re comfortable in kennels, sheds, cracks in concrete and even inside a house, which is part of why they spread so easily between travelling dogs.
The bigger worry with this tick is ehrlichiosis, caused by the bacterium Ehrlichia canis. It was first detected in dogs in Australia in May 2020. Business Queensland says it has since become established in the Northern Territory and has been detected across northern Queensland, Western Australia and South Australia, and the RSPCA notes cases in NSW and Victoria in dogs that came from the NT.
What ehrlichiosis looks like
- Fever and lethargy
- Swollen lymph nodes
- Nose bleeds or small bruises on the gums and belly
- Weight loss over several weeks in the chronic stage
- Reduced appetite
Some dogs show mild signs early on, then appear to recover, before developing a chronic form months or even years later that is usually fatal. Diagnosis relies on your vet combining the signs with blood tests. If you’ve travelled through the north and your dog becomes unwell weeks or months afterwards, mention the travel history, it changes what the vet tests for.
Other parasites worth planning for
Ticks get most of the attention, but a road trip changes exposure to other parasites too.
- Heartworm: spread by mosquitoes, which tend to be more active in the warm, humid north and around wetlands. Dogs on monthly heartworm prevention are generally fine, but check the last dose date before you leave.
- Intestinal worms: risk rises with shared water sources, other dogs’ faeces at camping grounds, and native wildlife droppings. A worming treatment before departure is sensible if your dog is overdue.
- Fleas: caravan parks and pet-friendly accommodation see a lot of dog traffic. Fleas pick up easily from bedding, grass and shared yards.
Regional risk at a glance
| Region | Main parasite risk | Peak season | Practical note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coastal NSW, southeast Qld, eastern Vic | Paralysis tick | Spring to early summer, present year-round in warmer areas | Check dog daily, especially around ears, neck and between toes |
| Far north Qld | Paralysis tick, mosquito-borne heartworm, brown dog tick and ehrlichiosis in some areas | Wet season (roughly Nov to April) | Higher humidity means higher tick and mosquito activity |
| NT and northern WA (including the Kimberley) | Brown dog tick, ehrlichiosis | Year-round, worse in the wet season | Check kennels and accommodation yards, not just bushland |
| Inland and arid regions | Lower paralysis tick risk, but brown dog ticks and ehrlichiosis occur in parts of central Australia | Year-round for brown dog ticks | Keep tick prevention going, and still check for fleas and worms at caravan parks |
Pre-trip checks before you leave home
Book a vet check
A pre-trip check is worth booking one to two weeks before departure. Your vet can confirm your dog’s current parasite prevention is up to date and covers the areas you’re travelling through, since not every product covers every parasite equally.
Update tick and flea prevention
Most chewable products (Bravecto, Nexgard Spectra, Simparica Trio) protect against paralysis ticks for either one or three months depending on the product (the Bravecto chew, for example, is given every 3 months), so check the dosing interval against your travel dates. If you’re heading north, note that Business Queensland advises that tablets and chews let ticks feed before killing them and do not prevent ehrlichiosis, so it recommends products that kill ticks on contact, such as tick collars and spot-ons. Collars such as Seresto need to be fitted correctly and checked for fit as coats change with the season. Ask your vet which combination suits your route.
Pack a tick removal kit
- A tick removal tool (tick twister or fine-pointed tweezers)
- A torch, for checking in low light at camp
- A small notebook or phone note with the vet’s after-hours number for wherever you’re travelling
- Your dog’s vaccination and parasite treatment record
Check destination-specific advice
Local vet clinics in your destination town are often the best source of up-to-date information, since tick and ehrlichiosis activity shifts year to year. A quick phone call before you arrive costs nothing and can tell you whether the area has had a bad tick season.
While you’re on the road
Run your hands over your dog every evening, feeling for small lumps, particularly around the face, ears and neck, under the collar, between the toes, in the armpits and around the tail base. The RSPCA notes most paralysis ticks are found forward of the front legs, but search the whole dog. Do this even if the product label says the dog is protected. No tick prevention is 100 percent, and a dog can pick up a tick and start showing signs before the product has had time to kill it.
Keep a note of when you last applied or gave any parasite treatment, and don’t assume a treatment from home covers a parasite that’s only found in the region you’re now driving through.
When to call a vet
Call a vet immediately, or head to the nearest emergency clinic, if your dog shows any wobbliness in the back legs, a changed bark, vomiting, gagging, or noisy breathing. Paralysis tick toxicity can progress from mild to critical within hours, and treatment is far more effective when started early.
If you find an embedded tick anywhere on your dog, remove it straight away and contact a vet as soon as possible, even if your dog seems fine. Signs often take a few days to appear, and removing the tick does not immediately stop toxin effects that have already started.
Get a blood test arranged if your dog develops unexplained fever, bruising, nose bleeds or persistent lethargy in the weeks or months after travelling through northern Australia. Ask specifically about ehrlichiosis and mention your travel dates and route.
These signs can have several causes, not all of them parasite related, so a vet needs to examine your dog directly rather than relying on a description alone.
