LOOK WHAT THE DOG BROUGHT BACK FROM HOLIDAY!

The introduction of the pet travel scheme has allowed hundreds of thousands of pets to leave and re-enter the UK and enjoy a holiday with their owners without the need to stay in quarantine. To qualify for the scheme pets must be microchipped, vaccinated against rabies, blood tested for rabies immunity levels (6 months before re-entry to the UK) and be treated for ticks and tapeworms 24-48hours before re-entry to the UK. This is all very well but these measures are primarily aimed at human disease prevention and do nothing to prevent your pet developing serious and often fatal exotic diseases.

There are three primary concerns when visiting Europe

Leishmaniasis
Babesiosis and Ehrlichiosis
Heartworm

LEISHMANIASIS

This is a serious zoonotic infection of man and animals. It is transmitted primarily by the biting sandfly. The incubation period can be many years so the onset of the disease may not be related to travelling! Clinical signs shown by affected dogs include nosebleeds, scaling skin disease, kidney failure, lameness and weight loss. There is no cure and often relapses occur post treatment. It has assumed that no transmission between people and animals is possible without sandflies which are not found in the UK’s temperate climate at present, although with climate changes imminent this could become a major problem. To minimise the risk of infection whilst on holiday keep your dogs indoors after dusk until dawn, use mosquito nets and close windows and use an insect repellent (impregnated collar are available)

BABESIOSIS AND EHRLICHIOSIS

Both of these diseases can be spread to animals by biting ticks. Babesiosis causes illness within days or even hours leading to a rapidly fatal haemolytic anaemia. Ehrlichiosis is a milder disease which can also cause anaemia and red cell destruction as well as causing a blood clotting disease which may present as nosebleeds. Check your animals daily for ticks and carry a tick removing hook, always wear gloves to prevent being bitten yourself and wash your hands afterwards. Several tick repellent products are available from your veterinary surgery. Avoid walking animals in upland or wooded areas.

HEARTWORM

Heartworms can be transmitted to pets by biting mosquito’s. They can cause a gradual heart failure and anaphylactic reactions, presenting with signs of coughing, breathlessness, weight loss and collapse. The signs may appear similar to heart valvular disease which is much more commonly seen in the UK, therefore always inform your vet if your pet is ill and has been abroad. Prevention is best achieved by taking a heartworm prevention medication before, during and after travel. Keeping pets in at dusk, using insect repellents and ensuring windows are kept shut at night are also sensible precautions.

A Very Real Problem!

Since the introduction of the pet travel scheme there has been a greater than 10 fold rise in reported cases of exotic diseases in UK pets. Many UK veterinarians have little or no experience with diagnosis and treatment of these of exotic diseases and many of the treatments are not readily available in the UK. On top of this there is no cure for leishmaniasis and although treatments for heartworm are effective they can cause fatal reactions when trying to do so. In summary, although bypassing quarantine has been a welcome and humane step forward, there are significant new problems and if you are considering taking your pet abroad ensure you take adequate precautions for fun in the sun this year!