A deadly dog disease that is spreading quickly across northern Australia could change the way grey nomads travel with their pets.
In just six months, many hundreds of dogs have already died in Western Australia and the Northern Territory from the tick-borne disease canine ehrlichiosis. And experts say it is only a matter of time before every dog in Australia is at risk.
A halt on the inter-state movement of dogs is apparently now being weighed up by the national Consultative Committee on Emergency Animal Diseases.
Western Australia has already imposed its own internal restrictions for people moving their dogs from north to south. Dog owners must notify authorities of their intentions, complete a dog movement form and treat dogs for ticks before travelling.
The national Consultative Committee on Emergency Animal Diseases, chaired by Australia’s chief veterinary officer Dr Mark Schipp ‘continues to meet in response to these detections’.
All states and territories are conducting ‘surveillance activities’ on domestic dogs, feral dogs and ticks.
“Jurisdictions are currently considering whether the extension of movement conditions beyond Western Australia is required to prevent the spread of the disease into the southern states and ACT,” federal government officials said.
A federal Agriculture Department spokeswoman said a close eye was being kept on the spread of Ehrlichia canis.
“Once there is more information about the extent of ehrlichiosis in Australia, the states and territories will decide if further movement conditions are required,” she told the Canberra Times.
However, Professor Peter Irwin, principal of the College of Veterinary Medicine at Perth’s Murdoch University, said he thought it was unlikely that Covid-style border restrictions would work … but public awareness was critical.
“There is a report now of a case in Perth, it spreads so fast because people travel with their dogs,” he suggested. “When you have the grey nomads moving up through the north, many of them take their dogs, that’s where there’ll be a lot of spread … this is an adaptable tick which can survive in all areas of Australia.”
Working dogs, wild dogs, domestic dogs can all fall victim to this highly infectious disease.
“This is a disaster which is happening right now, it has got in and there’s no way to get it out again,” Prof. Irwin said. “Every dog owner, not just those in tropical areas, need to pay attention.”
WA chief veterinary officer Michelle Rodan said holidaymakers travelling with their dogs to northern WA should be aware the disease was established in the Kimberley and had also been found in the Pilbara, Gascoyne and northern Goldfields.
“If you are taking your dog to northern WA, take steps to reduce the risk of ehrlichiosis in your dog by visiting your vet before travelling to obtain a suitable tick treatment,” Dr Rodan told the Canberra Times. “Treat your dogs for ticks regularly, both before and after your trip, and check them for ticks every day, especially around the neck, head, ears, armpits, belly and in between toes.”
She said if a dog showed any of the signs of ehrlichiosis – such as fever, lethargy, enlarged lymph nodes, loss of appetite, weight loss and bleeding disorders – owners should contact a vet immediately as rapid treatment offered the best chance of recovery.
We live in Cairns and the paralysis tick is rampant here, so we treat our dogs monthly with either Seresto collar or Bravecto spoton treatments. When we travel we will continue to keep their prevention treatment up to date.
Hello according to the information a tick prevention is so easy for everyone to use. I have always had my dogs on Nexgard for ticks save so much upset ,time and money.you can also buy over the internet with big savings on monthly doesage. Hope this helps.
I give my little furbabya monthly Nexgard Spectra, better to be safe than sorry.
My doggie has monthly tick treatment without fail. Keep him safe and well.
We live in a relative tick free area, but we do travel, and I use to travel with my dog, into outback Australia, on my bike. I won’t be doing this again, just will be taking him on 150km local trips on the bike. I have been told that the virus is in SA and Western VIC now, and that it won’t be long before it is here in The New England and North West of NSW, A very, very worrying problem for our dogs. Considering Australia’s Biosecurity is strict, how the hell did it get in?
Treatment to keep harmfull ticks off your dog is very simple and effective. People in paralysis tick areas have been doing it for ages. Now everyone will have to do it. The big drug treatment companies will make lots more money.
Lots of wild and feral dogs might die. Not sure how the Dingo will cope..??
I used to live in QLD and had both a dog and a cat struck with tick paralysis. They survived, but only after a hefty vet bill in each case. Now my dog gets her monthly dose of Nexguard Spectra on the 1st of every month and I buy it in packs of 6 so I always have it on hand no matter how remore I am. It’s not cheap, but it’s a cheap insurance policy and worth every penny.
Does anyone have. Data or a reputable study on the effectiveness of Nexguard (and similar products) in preventi erlichiosis?
Nexguard, Bravecto kill ticks fleas, etc. effectively.
The ticks die before they can transmit the paralysis toxin into the body.
Id imagine it could be the same for Erlichiosis as it is carried and transmitted by ticks.
But you would have to seek Veterinary advice on this.
I was advised about this at our local Petstock. Advise was that Bravecto spot on was only effective for 3 months for the Brown Dog Tick(6 months for the rest) which is I believe the host and I was advised to use a Seresto collar in addition to the Bravecto if we were travelling out west and north west QLD.