South Coast holiday ends with ticks, $20k vet bill for Theo the sled dog

A post-lockdown celebration turned costly for James Mebberson when he took his Greenland sled dog, Theo, camping at Mystery Bay along the South Coast.

The pair kayaked along beautiful waterways, strolled through bushland and soaked up the sun, however, the trip would prove dangerous for Theo when seven tiny paralysis ticks burrowed into his skin.

READ ALSO:

In early November, a few days after returning home to Canberra, Theo was admitted to Canberra Veterinary Emergency Services in Gungahlin.

Alarm bells went off for Mr Mebberson when the dog started acting strangely. His front legs wouldn't support his weight and "he looked like he was drunk".

While he had treated Theo for ticks, this six-month protection had expired a month prior.

Originally from Adelaide, Mr Mebberson had heard of paralysis ticks but "wasn't aware of the prevalence and the dangers".

What started as "the best weekend of [Theo's] life" would end with him fighting to stay alive.

Initially the veterinary hospital kept Theo overnight and discharged him the next day. Now tick-free he was expected to make a quick recovery.

However, two days later his condition went downhill. He was taken back to the emergency clinic where, fearing the worst, staff clipped his fur and frantically searched for extra paralysis ticks. None were found but Theo's condition continued to deteriorate.

When Theo couldn't breathe anymore he was hooked up to a ventilation machine. Covered in cords and surrounded by medical equipment Theo would remain under ventilation for seven long days.

Emergency veterinarian Dr Perri Lea was one of the many vets, nurses and staff members who treated Theo.

She explained a large amount of venom had been released into Theo's system and he had developed secondary aspiration pneumonia.

She said the dog had a "really poor prognosis" and a "low chance of survival".

The beloved pet needed 24-hour care with nurses checking vital signs every few hours and regularly massaging Theo's muscles so they wouldn't become stiff.

Finally, after multiple failed attempts to get him off the ventilator, Theo finally took his first independent breath in a week.

Mr Mebberson said "in the end it was a happy story" but he was still staring down the barrel of a hefty vet bill.

Fortunately, friends set up a GoFund Me page and within a few days 50 per cent of the cost had been raised.

Dr Perri Lea urged people to stay up-to-date with tick treatments for their pets. She said the animal hospital had seen an increase in ticks with the majority of patients returning from the South Coast.

Australian paralysis ticks are exclusively located along eastern NSW seaboard and thrive in warmer climates. Ticks attach themselves to animals or humans and release venom into the bloodstream as they feed.

Head nurse at Inner South Veterinary Centre Lainey Kemp said signs pets had a tick included a drunken gait, difficulty walking, coughing and trouble breathing.

"If your pet has a tick this should be treated as an emergency and you should call your nearest vet immediately," she said.

The nurse encouraged residents to use good quality tick prevention, stay away from bushland when down the coast and to search their pets for ticks everyday.

Ms Kemp said prevention and vigilance was important, even when pet-owners returned home as "ticks can hide in luggage or belongings and be accidentally bought home and transferred to our pets".

Correction: A previous version of this story wrongly attributed Dr Perri Lea's quotes to a vet at the Inner South Veterinary Centre.

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content: