Travelling abroad

Thanks to the pet passport scheme our faithful companions can now travel with us around Europe with relative ease. But that should not make us complacent.

There are numerous virulent parasites found outside the UK that our pets are not usually exposed to. For example, we don't have heartworm in the UK but this potentially fatal parasite is spread in southern Europe by infected mosquitoes. Likewise a type of tapeworm known as Echinococcus multilocularis does not occur in the UK, but is found across much of central Europe. This worm can cause very serious liver disease in humans.

Prepare and be aware

If you are thinking of traveling with your pet it is important you do your research and talk to your vet well in advance. Your vet will be able to help you understand what you need to do to ensure your pet is allowed to travel with you and what pet health risks might be present at your destination.

More information is available from ESCCAP here.