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20/01/2025. The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) have requested that Official Veterinarians provide a new APHA checklist to customers travelling to Europe with their pets (available in OV briefing notes from APHA). This is an excellent resource for pet owners to help ensure a smooth UK return.
It correctly identifies that the compulsory tapeworm treatment to prevent Echinococcus multilocularis infection can be given before leaving the UK if travel is for less than 5 days. This will not be protective however against E.multilocularis while abroad and the legally allowed 5 day treatment window before return to the UK allows the opportunity for infection to occur.
While the compulsory treatment remains very important, ESCCAP UK & Ireland recommends a second treatment within 30 days after UK return to ensure any infection that has occurred during the treatment window is eliminated. This is important, both for national security and individual pet owner health.