Intern vet spots tick in nick of time, moments before paralysed dog was to be euthanised

Ollie the collie was saved from death row in the nick of time when an intern vet solved his mystery illness.

The much loved pet suffered a paralysis so severe he could no longer walk, stand or even do his doggie business, so his owners decided to put him down.

“When his mobility was shot and he was paralyzed, it was just weird seeing him just laying there on the floor, knowing he had so much more life in him,” Ollie’s owner Falline Fate told Fox 12 Oregon (KPTV).

Ollie had to have his bladder emptied at the vet, who said the paralysis could have been caused by anything from cancer to a bone fracture.

So his owners decided the most humane thing to do for Ollie was to put him to sleep.

Minutes before Ollie was due to receive his life-ending injection, an intern working at the veterinary surgery in Portland, Oregon had a hunch to check for a tick, and spotted one behind his ear.

The critter was only a centremetre long but the little bug caused a huge problem. While paralysis caused by ticks is extremely rare, it is possible as their saliva carries a neurotoxin.

Falline suspected the tick latched on at a recent camping trip.

Ollie made a remarkable recovery 10 hours after the tick was removed, and was soon back to his normal, happy and healthy self, wagging his tail and walking about.

“The next morning my mom opened the door and said ‘look at your doggie’ and he comes walking up to me, and I’m barely awake, and just smiled at me,” Falline said.