International Pet Travel: Discover Why You Should Visit the Vet Beforehand
Are you planning to travel overseas with your pet? In that case, planning in advance is essential if you want to avoid problems with the airline or when entering a country. Different airlines and each country worldwide have specific regulations concerning animal travel, and you as a pet owner need to be familiar with the rules. However, most countries require health certificates of veterinary inspections which need to be completed by an accredited pet travel veterinarian.
By taking your animal companion to a pet travel veterinarian prior to taking off, you’ll make sure everything goes smoothly when you arrive. The vet will perform a detailed examination and issue a health certificate. This certificate basically states that pet is not carrying a disease that can be passed on to other animals or people. What’s more, during periods of cold weather some airlines may demand an acclimation certificate which indicates that the animal being transported is acclimated to temperatures lower than 7 degrees Celsius. But this is only the case with some airlines, so check to see whether yours requires this.
Although a veterinary checkup gives authorities the ability to prevent infectious diseases from entering the country, in particularly rabies, it also has great benefits for you and your pet. For one, if you’re having a holiday, it means there will be a reduced chance that your stay is disrupted by your animal companion experiencing health problems. As part of the check-up, the vet will check for parasites, such as heartworm, and prescribe parasite preventative medication if needed. The pet travel veterinarian can also give you prescriptions for any meds your pet uses so that you can have an adequate supply for the whole trip and an additional surplus, just in case.
And finally, don’t forget to microchip your pet before you go anywhere. All EU countries and many other countries in the world require animals to be microchipped in order to enter. The reason they do so is to confirm that your pet is the very same animal from the documents you presented. The microchip can be inserted into the animal’s neck or shoulder gently and painlessly by a licensed veterinarian. But even if the country you’re travelling to doesn’t demand pets to be micro-chipped, doing so can improve the chances of getting your pet back if it gets lost. The microchip will contain all your current contact information, including a cell phone number so that if the pet is found ownership can be easily determined.