Infestation in the dog by the paralysis tick Ixodes holocyclus. 3. Respiratory effects

To assess respiratory function in dogs with tick paralysis, respiratory measurements were recorded on 14 dogs experimentally infested with Ixodes holocyclus. There was a progressive fall in respiratory rate with no change in tidal volume, which resulted in a significant fall in minute respiratory volume in the latter stages of the disease. The fall in respiratory rate was possibly central in origin and was accompanied by an increased alveolar-arterial oxygen tension difference, probably caused by pulmonary congestion and oedema. The "grunting" respiration seen in tick paralysis was due to closure of the vocal cords during expiration and could represent an attempt to re-expand collapsed parts of the lung.