Deadly Shortage of Tick Antiserum

By John Morgan | Dated January 10, 2023

Paralysis ticks are always potentially fatal. This year, they may be deadlier than ever due to a shortage of tick antiserum.

Tick antiserum (TAS) is a blood product that contains antibodies against the paralysis tick toxin. The antibodies bind to the toxins in the blood stream and block them from being able to cause paralysis. We give this when an animal is showing sign of tick paralysis to stop the progression of paralysis and give us the best possible chance of supporting them through their paralysis.

There is currently a short supply of TAS due to high demand. With months still remaining of tick season, we are facing the possibility of running out of TAS before the end of tick season. Without TAS to treat cases of tick paralysis, we expect the fatality rate of this already deadly disease to massively increase.

Tick Antiserum (TAS) is in short supply

We need your help to keep our pets safe this summer. Make sure your pet is up to date with tick prevention. There are lots of products on the market that are highly effective at protecting against tick paralysis. For dogs, we recommend oral Bravecto every three months or oral Nexguard every 4 weeks. Cats can be given a topical Bravecto every 3 months or topical Revolution PLUS every month. For pets frequently in contact with bushland, a Seresto collar fitted firmly around the neck will provide another layer of protection against these deadly parasites. Daily tick checks are also recommended as we occasionally see failures of all preventative products.

If you would like more advice on protecting your pets from ticks, please give us a call on 9498 3000. Together we can help save lives this tick season.