Is my dog sick?

Tick Poisoning

The paralysis tick injects a toxin into its host dog as it feeds. If left to run its course, a case of tick poisoning goes through 3 stages.

Increased body temperature due to hot weather or exercise exacerbates symptoms.

A change in voice: the bark becomes softer and/or changes pitch.
Weakness in the back legs: walking along then sitting down suddenly is a common early sign.
Vomiting, especially if it happens several times in a day and you see froth.

Wobbliness in the back legs.
Excessive salivation and vomiting is not uncommon.
Panting, progressing to loud breathing, even grunting noises.
Many dogs will exhibit a moist cough and breathing problems before other signs. Particularly common in King Charles spaniels, schnauzers and other short-nosed dogs, it’s a dangerous sign because it may lead to pneumonia.

As signs of poisoning progress, the animals become unable to stand.
Breathing becomes exaggerated and difficult.
As breathing becomes more difficult, gums become cold and blue-tinged. Death follows quite quickly.

Find the tick. They are often on the face (check especially eyelids, lips), head or neck. If you don’t find it there, check between the toes and around the anus.
Remove the tick. If you are squeamish, slide the prongs of a fork under it and gently lift.
Consult a vet immediately, and keep looking for more ticks.

Cane toads are a common cause of poisoning in dogs. Cane toads secrete toxins, so it usually happens when a dog has picked one up or bitten one.

First signs are profuse salivation, frothing and pawing at the mouth and/or head-shaking, due to the caustic and irritating toxins in the dog’s mouth. It happens straight away.
Depending on how much toxin your dog absorbs, muscle trembling and shaking, and weakness may follow. Your dog may wobble, stagger, or droop, have trouble with co-ordination, or difficulty breathing. This stage can follow within minutes of the original incident.
Collapse follows soon after.
Collapse is followed by convulsions or seizures that are often fatal.
If the dog survives the convulsions and seizures, it will soon fall into a coma and die.

It can take less than 20 minutes from start to finish. Smaller dogs are at most risk of succumbing quickly.

Spend about 10 minutes rinsing the poisons out of the dog’s mouth, washing its gums and cleaning between its teeth. Something that will squirt water, like a garden hose or a running tap, is ideal.
When you’re washing your dog’s mouth, tilt your dog’s head so that any water goes forwards and out; don’t squirt it down its throat. Give it time to take breaths too – you’re meant to be rinsing its mouth out, not water-boarding it..
Gently wash its face and eyes as well.
In some cases, this may be sufficient treatment. You MUST keep an eye on your dog though. Get it to a vet at once if it start staggering or drooping. If you wait until it collapses, it could be too late.