Ticks paralysis in cats

Tick Bite And Effects

Tick paralysis, or tick-bite paralysis, is caused by a  toxin that is released through the salivary glands of certain species of female ticks and which is injected into the blood of a cat as the tick infects the cat's skin. The toxin directly affects the nervous system, leading to a group of nervous signs in the affected animal.

 The toxins released by ticks  can cause lower motor neuron paralysis, which is defined as a loss of voluntary movement and which is caused by a disease of the nerves that connect the spinal cord and muscles related. With lower motor neuron paralysis the muscles stay in an apparent state of relaxation.

 An infestation of ticks is not necessary for a diseased state to occur. While multiple ticks are usually present on a cat that is showing signs of tick paralysis, tick-bite paralysis can take place after being bitten by only one tick.

Symptoms and Types

•       Regurgitation
•       Vomiting
•       Unsteadiness and moving with difficulties
•       High blood pressure
•       Fast heart rate and rhythm
•       Weakness, especially in the legs
•       Partial loss of muscle movements and activities (paresis)
•       Complete loss of muscle movement (paralysis), commonly seen in advanced disease state
•       Poor reflexes to complete loss of reflex in muscles
•       Low muscle tone (hypotonia)
•       Difficulty in eating food and drinking
•       Disorder of voice (dysphonia)
•       Asphyxia due to respiratory muscle paralysis in severely affected animals
•       Excessive dilatation of pupil in the eye (mydriasis)
•       Excessive drooling (sialosis)
•       Mega esophagus (enlarged esophagus)

Causes

•     Tick infestation and tick bite

Diagnosis

Your veterinarian will have a complete physical examination, looking closely at your cat's skin for the presence of ticks or for recent evidence of ticks. If ticks are found to be present on the skin, your vet will remove the tick and send it to the laboratory for a determination of its species and genuses. Routine laboratory tests will include a complete blood count, biochemistry profile, and urinalysis. However, the results of these tests are often normal if no other concurrent disease is present along with tick paralysis.

 In patients with respiratory muscle paralysis, blood gases will need to be calculated to determine the severity of the respiratory compromise. If respiratory muscle paralysis is occurring, low oxygen and high levels of carbon dioxide will be present in the blood, as the cat wont be able to properly inhale oxygen and exhale carbon dioxide. A chest radiography may reveal an enlarged esophagus due to the extra effort of trying to breath.

 The most important step in the diagnosis is to search for and find the tick that bit your cat.