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Page 40 • VOL 25 • No7 • July 2010 • Veterinary Nursing Journal PET TRAVEL We’re all going on a summer holiday… Laura Yeadon BA(Hons) ESCCAP UK Secretariat, The Mews Studio, Portland Road, Malvern, Worcestershire, WR14 2TA. UK Laura Yeadon BA(Hons) Laura Yeadon graduated from the University of Worcester in 2009 with a BA Joint Honours in Media and Cultural Studies with Sociology. Whilst studying for her degree, she began working part time as an administrator for a parasitology consultancy in Malvern, assisting with the development of Expert Reports and Guidelines in Parasitology. Laura is currently ESCCAP UK Manager and runs the organisation’s Secretariat. … no more worries for me or you. Or so you might think! With the summer now upon us, it is important that pet owners are prepared for the parasitic challenges that await them and their pets over the next few months. Our special ‘summer series’ of articles, written by ESCCAP parasitology experts, is specially aimed at highlighting parasitic situations of particular concern over the summer season. The three articles will recap on the key information about each situation and illustrate how practice staff can give effective advice and assistance to pets and owners to address the challenges that are encountered over this time. Year after year, many pet owners are unprepared for the consequences of choosing to take their pet abroad with them on their summer holidays. Figure 1: Distribution of Dirofilaria immitis across Southern Europe Firstly, the Pet Travel Scheme (PETS) puts in place a set of mandatory requirements, to which pet owners must adhere in order to take their pets in and out of the UK. Secondly, throughout continental Europe there are a number of dangerous parasitic diseases, not presently endemic in the UK, which can have serious health implications for both humans and animals if adequate safety precautions are not taken. Pet Travel Scheme The Pet Travel Scheme is a regulatory scheme, introduced by DEFRA in February 2000, to enable companion animals to travel freely between countries without undergoing a period of quarantine. Previously, the control methods to prevent the spread of rabies required all animals entering the UK to serve six months in quarantine, during which time all animals would undergo tapeworm and tick treatment. With the reduction of rabies in Europe and the development of vaccines, the need for quarantine to prevent the introduction of rabies into the UK was non-essential. Alternative measures were then required in order to protect the UK from the dangerous exotic diseases found abroad, which were considered to pose a significant risk to public health. PETS, therefore, introduces a number of conditions which pet owners must meet before their pet can enter, or re-enter, the UK from abroad. One of the key requirements is for all dogs, cats and ferrets to be treated against ticks and tapeworms before entering the UK and further information about the rules and regulations can be found on the DEFRA website at www.defra.gov.uk/wildlife- pets/pets/travel/index.htm.

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Page 1: We're all going on a summer holiday…

Page 40 • VOL 25 • No7 • July 2010 • Veterinary Nursing Journal

PET TRAVEL

We’re all going on asummer holiday…Laura YeadonBA(Hons) ESCCAP UK Secretariat, The Mews Studio, Portland Road, Malvern,Worcestershire, WR14 2TA. UK

Laura Yeadon BA(Hons)

Laura Yeadon graduated from theUniversity of Worcester in 2009with a BA Joint Honours in Mediaand Cultural Studies withSociology. Whilst studying for herdegree, she began working parttime as an administrator for aparasitology consultancy inMalvern, assisting with thedevelopment of Expert Reportsand Guidelines in Parasitology.Laura is currently ESCCAP UKManager and runs theorganisation’s Secretariat.

… no more worries for me or you. Or so you might think!

With the summer now upon us, it isimportant that pet owners are preparedfor the parasitic challenges that awaitthem and their pets over the next fewmonths. Our special ‘summer series’ ofarticles, written by ESCCAP parasitologyexperts, is specially aimed at highlightingparasitic situations of particular concernover the summer season.

The three articles will recap on the keyinformation about each situation andillustrate how practice staff can giveeffective advice and assistance to pets and owners to address the challenges that are encountered over this time. Year after year, many pet owners areunprepared for the consequences ofchoosing to take their pet abroad withthem on their summer holidays.

Figure 1: Distribution of Dirofilaria immitis across Southern Europe�

Firstly, the Pet Travel Scheme (PETS) putsin place a set of mandatory requirements,to which pet owners must adhere in orderto take their pets in and out of the UK.

Secondly, throughout continental Europethere are a number of dangerous parasiticdiseases, not presently endemic in theUK, which can have serious healthimplications for both humans and animalsif adequate safety precautions are not taken.

Pet Travel Scheme

The Pet Travel Scheme is a regulatoryscheme, introduced by DEFRA in February2000, to enable companion animals totravel freely between countries withoutundergoing a period of quarantine.

Previously, the control methods toprevent the spread of rabies required allanimals entering the UK to serve sixmonths in quarantine, during which timeall animals would undergo tapeworm andtick treatment. With the reduction ofrabies in Europe and the development ofvaccines, the need for quarantine toprevent the introduction of rabies intothe UK was non-essential.

Alternative measures were then requiredin order to protect the UK from thedangerous exotic diseases found abroad,which were considered to pose asignificant risk to public health. PETS,therefore, introduces a number ofconditions which pet owners must meetbefore their pet can enter, or re-enter, theUK from abroad.

One of the key requirements is for alldogs, cats and ferrets to be treated against ticks and tapeworms beforeentering the UK and further informationabout the rules and regulations can befound on the DEFRA website atwww.defra.gov.uk/wildlife-pets/pets/travel/index.htm.

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Veterinary Nursing Journal • VOL 25 • No7 • July 2010 • Page 41

While the PETS mandatory requirementsaddress preventing the entry of a numberof the exotic diseases found abroad, theydo not take into account the variousdangerous parasitic diseases that pets maycontract when travelling, some of whichcan cause illness whilst abroad and/ormay be introduced back into the UKdespite the mandatory pre-entry treatment.

Therefore, veterinary practices shouldencourage pet owners wishing to taketheir pet abroad to discuss with them therisks specific to their pets and the areas inwhich they are looking to travel in. Thefollowing is a brief outline of the keyparasitic diseases that pet owners shouldconsider when thinking about takingtheir pet abroad in Europe.

Echinococcus multilocularis(‘dangerous tapeworm’)

Echinococcus multilocularis, also knownas the ‘dangerous tapeworm’, is apotentially lethal zoonotic disease. It isendemic across much of mainlandEurope, especially France, Germany andSwitzerland. Foxes are the definitive hostfor E. multilocularis, although the disease

host is the dog and the infection istransmitted by mosquito bites. D.immitis is also known to affect othercanids, cats, ferrets and, on rareoccasions, humans. Within atypicalhosts, however, disease is likely toremain less serious with little chance ofadult worms fully establishing.

Prevention of D. immitis is not covered byPETS and so veterinary practices shouldensure pet owners are aware of theprecautions they can take to protect theirpets. Heartworm preventive therapiesshould be taken as per data sheetrecommendations throughout the periodof residence in the heartworm area,during the heartworm season.

In addition, repellents should be used todissuade mosquito bites and care shouldbe taken to avoid areas heavily infested

also commonly infects dogs. Cats can beinfected with E. multilocularis but areknown to be poor hosts and consequentlythe risk of serious infection in cats isminimal. The definitive hosts are infectedby ingesting infected rodents.

Preventing the introduction of E.multilocularis to the UK is covered by the PETS tapeworm treatment. However,dogs in particular, that are staying within the endemic area for more thanfour weeks and that have access torodents, should be treated monthly with an effective cestocide, normallycontaining praziquantel.

Dirofilaria immitis (heartworm)

Dirofilaria immitis is a roundworm, ornematode, found in many areas ofsouthern Europe (Figure 1). Its definitive

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Page 42 • VOL 25 • No7 • July 2010 • Veterinary Nursing Journal

PET TRAVEL

with biting insects, though thesemeasures should not be relied upon.

Leishmaniasis

Leishmaniasis is a zoonotic diseaseaffecting mammals – most commonlydogs – and is transmitted by sandfly bites.It is predominantly endemic withinsouthern Europe and there is no vaccine.Prevention of leishmaniasis is not coveredby PETS, so veterinary practices shouldensure pet owners are fully informed.Repellents should be used to deter sandflybites and animals should preferably be keptindoors before dusk until after dawn tokeep exposure to a minimum.

Pet owners should also be encouraged toconsult their veterinary practices ifleishmaniasis symptoms appear in theirpet, no matter how long after returningfrom an infected country.

Ticks (Babesiosis andEhrlichiosis)

Ticks are a threat to animal (and human)health because of the pathogens they canpass on to their host (Figure 2). Climatechange and travel are causing change tothe endemic areas and seasonality. Thereis, therefore, an increasing risk of exoticticks being introduced into the UK andconsequently their associated vectorborne diseases (VBDs), such as babesiosisand ehrlichiosis.

Veterinary practices should encourage petowners to use suitable repellents oracaricides throughout their stay in areaswhere ticks may occur, to regularly

examine themselves and their pets forticks, and to remove any that are found. By means of the mandatory tick treatmentPETS aims to minimise the risk ofimporting ticks into the UK.

Resources

In order to assist veterinary professionalsand pet owners with protecting pets whileabroad, ESCCAP UK has developed anumber of key informative resources. Aninteractive ‘Infected Area Map’ on its petowners’ website, www.petparasites.co.uk,can be consulted to identify the endemicareas of certain parasites within Europe.

ESCCAP UK also provides a ‘TravellingPets’ leaflet which is designed to informpet owners about the parasitic risksintroduced when taking pets abroad, and advises how best to protect their petsand their family. For this leaflet, or any ofthe other free resources offered byESCCAP UK, please visit our website atwww.esccapuk.org.uk and view our‘downloads’ page.

There are also a number of useful linkson both websites and general informationand advice about the control andprevention of companion animalparasites. If you have any queries, contact [email protected].

In the August issue of the VNJ, we shallconsider pets that only accompany uson journeys in the UK but who are stillat risk of contracting dangerousparasitic diseases – a day trip to Francestill requires pet owners to comply withthe PETS.

Figure 2: Tick larva�

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NEWS REVIEWby Jean Turner

Rosie’s return thanks to charitable trustRosie the Lurcher was brought to theAnimal Helpline charity in a terriblecondition after being thrown from a car.Without financial help from the KennelClub Charitable Trust, her life-savingtreatment might not have been affordable.

She suffered extensive injuries to bothhind legs, with traumatic dislocation ofthe right hip and severe muscle damage.Her left leg suffered an open fracture andassociated ligament damage. There wasalso extensive bruising plus several openwounds. Surgery was performed tostabilise the fracture with a plate and themusculature of the right leg reattached bymeans of screw and washer.

Mike Townsend, chairman of trustees atthe Kennel Club Charitable Trustcommented: “As a nation of dog lovers weare indebted to the work hundreds ofcharities do across the UK. Here at theCharitable Trust we want to ensure thatthese charities continue their good workand so offer grants to those we feel aremost in need.”

For more information on how to donate,visit www.thekennelclub.org.uk/charitabletrust

Natural bobtailsThe Kennel Club has agreed to record, onregistration certificates, puppies that areborn with naturally bobbed tails. Thedecision was made in order to helpbreeders identify which dogs or linescarry the tailless gene.

The status of the tail length is recordedbehind the name of the breed, forinstance, Swedish Vallhund (Bobtail). Theword bobtail is the only description of thetail which is accepted. The description ofany other tail length or tails which are notnaturally bobbed, such as full tail orlegally docked tail, will not be recorded.

Confirmation of the tail status of puppiesmust be accompanied by veterinarycertification (on practice headed paper)and sent with the litter registration form if breeders wish bobtail to be recorded on the puppy’s registration certificate. As veterinary certification is required torecord the status, this service is notavailable online. The option to record thisis open to any breed where naturalbobtails appear in litters.

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