Understanding Worming Treatment and Animal Health Certificates for Pet Travel
The Essential Worming Guide for Pet Owners when travelling with an Animal Health Certificate
Travelling with pets, especially dogs, is becoming increasingly common. However, with travel comes the responsibility of ensuring our furry friends’ health and compliance with international travel regulations. This guide focuses on the crucial aspects of worming treatment and obtaining an Animal Health Certificate (AHC) for your pet when travelling to and from the United Kingdom.
Quick Summary of Worming Requirements
Before we delve into the details, here’s a quick summary for pet owners needing immediate information about worming requirements:
- Animal Health Certificate (AHC): A mandatory document for pets travelling to the EU, issued within 10 days before entry to the EU.
- Worming Treatment: Required for dogs travelling to Finland, Ireland, Malta, Northern Ireland, Norway, and before returning to the UK from EU countries. The treatment must contain Praziquantel or an equivalent and be given 24-120 hours before arriving into these countries.
- Microchip and Rabies Vaccine: Legal necessities for pet identification and required for the animal health certificates.
For more detailed information about the whole AHC and worming requirements, please continue reading.
What is an Animal Health Certificate (AHC)?
An Animal Health Certificate is vital for pet travel within the EU and Northern Ireland. Following Brexit, UK-issued pet passports are no longer valid in the EU, making the AHC a critical document for pet travel.
This certificate, which must be obtained from a qualified official veterinarian, includes your pet’s identification, rabies vaccination record, and details of the tapeworm treatment. An AHC is valid for 10 days for entry into the EU or Northern Ireland, 4 months for onward travel within the EU, and 4 months for re-entry to the UK. Despite its name this travel certificate is not a certificate of health for dogs, cats or ferrets it acts as an identification document for travelling.
Microchipping and Rabies Vaccination
Microchipping is not only a legal requirement for dogs in the UK but also a necessary step for pet travel. It ensures your pet’s identification throughout your journey. The rabies vaccine is another prerequisite. Your pet should receive this vaccine at least 21 days before the animal health certificate can be issued for travel and for rabies vaccines in the UK, they generally last for 3 years.
Worming Treatment: When and How?
Understanding the timing and specifics of worming treatment is crucial. If you’re heading to Finland, Ireland, Malta, Northern Ireland, or Norway, your dog requires a worming treatment before leaving the UK. This treatment must be given no less than 24 hours and no more than 120 hours prior to your arrival in these countries.
The treatment must contain praziquantel or a similar agent effective against the Echinococcus Multiocularis tapeworm. This is because these countries and the UK are currently free from this tapeworm. It is important to check with your vet to ensure the treatment is appropriate for the country you’re visiting, you can also send us a message please see our contact page.
Upon returning to the UK, a similar worming treatment is required. This must be administered in the EU by a vet and recorded on your AHC. Remember, the timing is crucial – the treatment must be given 1-5 days before re-entering the UK. This treatment will be recorded in the relevant section of the animal health certificate.
For short trips of only a few days, it is possible for the worming medication to be given while still in the United Kingdom. This can sometimes be timed so that the worming medication is issued at the same time as the Animal Health Certificate.
Cost Implications and Finding Affordable AHCs and Worming
Understanding and planning for the costs associated with pet travel is crucial. Here’s what you need to know:
Cost of AHC: The price for an Animal Health Certificate can vary. Some vets, like Vet Home Certs, offer specialised and cost-effective AHC services. It’s advisable to shop around and compare prices, however we believe we offer very cheap animal health certificates, we often offer the cheapest animal health certificates, particularly when you account for our further discounts such as our discounts when using the collection points.
- Worming Treatment Costs: Prices for the worming treatment can differ based on the country and location within the country, the worming medication used needs to be licensed in that country it is issued, so it is not always possible to use worming medications you have brought from the UK.
Costs of these worming treatments can vary, for example in France prices have been documented to range from 9€ to 100€ for a single dog. Proximity to travel ports often sees an increase in prices. In the UK you can source worming treatments from your regular vets which can then be issued at the time of the Animal Health Certificate, this would allow the Official Veterinarian to record this within the AHC.
Planning for Pet Travel: Tips and Best Practices
Effective planning can ensure a smooth travel experience for you and your pet. Here are some tips:
- Start Early: Begin your travel preparations well in advance. For EU countries, contacting your vet several months before travel is advisable.
- Find the Right Vet: Look for a vet who can confidently handle the entire process, from issuing the AHC to administering the necessary treatments. We specialise in these services, please BOOK AHC here
- Document Checklist: Ensure all required documents, including the AHC, rabies vaccination records (these can be requested from your regular vets by your AHC issuing vet), and microchip details, are in order. Please check our FAQ page for information on this.
- Understand Country-Specific Requirements: Each country may have unique requirements. Research these thoroughly or consult with your vet. Specific information can be found on the goverment website.
- Compliance is Key: Ensure all treatments and vaccinations are administered within the required timeframes.
Worming Treatment: Timing and Compliance
Getting the timing right for the worming treatment is essential. Here’s a breakdown:
- Before Leaving the UK: If travelling to Finland, Ireland, Malta, Northern Ireland, or Norway, administer the treatment 1-5 days before arriving into those countries.
- Returning to the UK: The treatment must be given no less than 24 hours and no more than 120 hours before re-entering the UK, for short trips this is possible to be administered within the UK.
Remember, failure to comply with these timings can result in being refused entry or travel.
Worming – suitable products for travelling to the EU:
The products listed below are suitable to be issued in the UK at the time of publication, you can always send us a message on our contact page, to check with us about this:
- Drontal Tablets (Vetoquinol UK Ltd)
- Droncit Tablets (Vetoquinol UK Ltd)
- Veloxa Tablets (Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health UK Ltd)
- Dolpac Tablets (Vetoquinol UK Ltd)
- WORMclear Tablets (Beaphar UK Ltd)
- Cestem tablets (Ceva Animal Health Ltd)
- Prazitel Tablets (Chanelle Pharma)
- Cazitel Tablets (Zoetis UK Limited)
- Milpro tablets (Virbac Limited)
- Milprazon Tablets (Krka UK Ltd)
- Milbemax tablets (Elanco UK AH Limited)
- Endogard Tablets (Virbac Limited)
- Anthelmin Plus (Krka UK Ltd)
- MilbeVet (Elanco UK AH Limited)
Additional Considerations for Pet Travel
When planning to travel with your pet, there are several other factors to consider:
- Health Certificates for Dogs: Apart from the AHC, some methods of travel may require additional health certificates. Always verify the specific requirements of your destination country and way of travel, for example ‘fit-to-fly certificates’.
- Travel Certificates: Ensure you have all necessary travel certificates and documents in order before embarking on your journey.
- Cheap Animal Health Certificate Options: Look for affordable options for obtaining an Animal Health Certificate. We offer some of the cheapest Animal Health Certificates likely in a place near you, as we service across the UK and are expanding our areas of coverage.
Conclusion: Ensuring a Safe and Hassle-Free Journey for Your Pet
Key Takeaways for a Smooth Pet Travel Experience
Preparation is Paramount
Health First
Cost Management
Stay Informed
Community Support