Since Brexit there have been significant changes regarding pet travel to the EU, as well as Northern Ireland.

The main change is that you are no longer able to use pet passports issued in England, Wales or Scotland and will instead require an Animal Health Certificate (AHC). Unlike pet passports, AHCs can only be used for a single journey.

When travelling to an EU country or Northern Ireland, your pet needs:

• An AHC, unless you have a pet passport issued in an EU country or Northern Ireland
• A microchip
• A valid rabies vaccination, at least 21 days before you travel
• Tapeworm treatment for dogs if you’re travelling directly to Finland, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Norway or Malta

If you are returning to the UK, you must see a vet in the country you are visiting to have a tapeworm treatment administered one to five days before you return. This does not apply if you are returning from Finland, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Norway or Malta.

These requirements also apply to assistance dogs.

The AHC is a complicated piece of documentation and requires an examination from your vet no more than ten days before you travel. 

Please give us plenty of notice to ensure that we can fit you in, as if we do not have available appointments, you will not be able to travel without it. Contact us if you have any questions.

Travel outside of the EU

Different countries around the world have their own rules on whether you can take your pet there, and what you need to do so.

If you’re planning on making a trip, please contact us for more details as it can take a long time to sort out all the required documents and treatments. 

It’s always a good idea to visit the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs website for guidance, as the rules can change.

Other things to check before you travel include the approved transport companies and authorised routes for travel. 

Do you have pet insurance? Is your accommodation pet-friendly? Does the country you are travelling to have any restrictions on importation of certain cat and dog breeds?

It can seem like a complicated situation – because it is! But don’t worry, as we’re always here to help.

Brucella Canis

In recent years there has been an increase in the number of dogs being diagnosed with Brucella Canis in the UK.

Brucella canis is an infectious bacteria that carries a zoonotic risk to both owners and veterinary staff. Canine Brucella canis infection can lead to a variety of symptoms including inflammation of the eye, testicles, spine and abortion. Most dogs infected with Brucella canis have no symptoms.

Typical symptoms of infection in people include fever and enlarged lymph nodes. However, the greatest concern is that it can result in miscarriage and progressive infection in immunosuppressed individuals.

We are advising owners should consider testing any travelled dog especially those originating from high-risk countries such as Romania, Russia and Afghanistan, and dogs that have been in contact with breeding dogs, or dogs with an unclear breeding history. Dogs that have not been tested may encounter delays in obtaining referral appointments in the future.

Testing involves taking a blood sample, sending it to the Animal & Plant Health Agency (APHA) and takes between 7-21 days to return. No test is perfect and sadly both false positive and false negative results can occur. False negatives can arise if testing of the patient was early in the course of infection (within three months of travel) whilst false positives can occur if the patient is concurrently infected with other bacteria (Salmonella, Yersina). Hence we advise a second blood test after three months of travel as it can take time for dogs to develop an antibody response.

Below are some useful links.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/brucella-canis-information-for-the-public-and-dog-owners/brucella-canis-information-for-the-public-and-dog-owners#how-b-canis-is-diagnosed

https://www.ed.ac.uk/vet/services/small-animals/vet-professional/vet-news/brucella-22