Traveling with your pet

For many people, taking their pet along on holiday is a matter of course. This usually
applies mainly to dogs, but occasionally cats or other pets are also taken on trips.

You should prepare well for such trips abroad, as there may be health risks as well as
legal requirements to consider. Particularly in many popular holiday destinations in
Southern and Eastern Europe, there are dangerous pathogens that can be transmitted
by parasites such as ticks or sand flies.

The legal framework

In general, for dogs and cats to cross borders within the EU, a microchip, a correctly
completed EU pet passport and a valid rabies vaccination are required. For countries
outside the EU, there may be additional regulations in some cases, about which you
should definitely enquire with the relevant authorities well in advance of your journey.
Sometimes, deworming within a narrow timeframe prior to crossing the border or an
official veterinary health certificate is required. If, for example, a certificate confirming a
sufficiently high rabies antibody titre is required for the planned destination, waiting
periods of several weeks are common.

If you are planning to travel by air, most airlines only allow animals weighing less than 8
kg to travel in the cabin – all other animals must travel in the hold. Furthermore, only
animals that are not ill or sedated are permitted to travel.

Which diseases are we talking about?

The most common of the so-called vector-borne diseases (i.e. diseases that can be
transmitted by various parasites) in dogs and cats are babesiosis, anaplasmosis,
leishmaniasis and ehrlichiosis, as well as heartworm.

Babesia, anaplasma and ehrlichia are transmitted by ticks, Leishmania by sand flies and
heartworms by various species of mosquitoes.

Babesiosis is usually acute and, if left untreated, can quickly lead to death. High fever,
increased thirst, lethargy, swollen lymph nodes, dark urine and yellowing of the skin are
possible symptoms. A blood test typically reveals a sharp drop in erythrocytes (red
blood cells) and thrombocytes (platelets). Even with prompt treatment, not all dogs
survive this disease. In cases of infection with large babesia (B. canis), the prognosis is
better than with infection with small babesia (B. gibsoni).

In cases of anaplasmosis and ehrlichiosis, non-specific symptoms may also be
observed at the onset of the disease; as the condition progresses, polyarthritis due to
joint involvement and a significantly enlarged spleen are often observed. With prompt
diagnosis and treatment, the prognosis for these diseases is good.

In leishmaniasis, following an incubation period of weeks to months, hair loss and scaly
skin lesions (without itching) occur, usually first on the bridge of the nose, the ears and
around the eyes. Various organ systems may be affected, and a wide range of additional
symptoms may therefore occur, such as weight loss, apathy, swollen lymph nodes, pale
mucous membranes, vomiting, diarrhoea or muscle wasting. Leishmaniasis is also
classified as a zoonosis, i.e. a disease that can be transmitted between animals and
humans.

Heartworms (the causative agents of dirofilariasis) damage the walls of blood vessels in
their adult stage and can also block entire vessels, thereby leading to an embolism. The
symptoms usually begin around 6 months after infection and include increased
respiratory rate, coughing, reduced exercise tolerance and, in some cases, shortness of
breath after exertion. Treatment depends on the stage of the disease, as the elimination
of adult worms can be dangerous for the patient – there is a risk of thromboembolism
caused by dead worms. This risk is minimised by certain medications and strict
restriction of the animal’s movement during treatment. In exceptional cases involving
particularly severe infestation or a very advanced stage of the disease, surgery may be
necessary to remove the worms.

So how can you prevent it?

First things first: unfortunately, there is no such thing as 100% protection. Anyone taking
their pet on holiday must accept that there is at least a small residual risk. However, with
suitable medicines (e.g. milbemycin oxime, imidacloprid, permethrin for dogs), the risk
of infection can be significantly reduced. We do not recommend experimenting with
coconut oil, amber necklaces or similar remedies. It is also advisable to check your pet
for ticks after every walk – this applies to Austria as well.

We would be happy to discuss everything in detail and in person before your trip, so that
it will be an unforgettable holiday for everyone involved, without any nasty surprises! 🙂