Golden Labrador

If you are from South Africa and you would like to bring your pet with you when you travel, there are certain guidelines you should consider following. They will protect your pet from contracting a disease or condition, and at the same time, you follow the prerequisites of pet safety during your trip.

Travelling Internationally with your Pet

Suppose you have plans to visit the UK and you would like to bring your pet along. You may have heard about the UK Pet Travel Scheme that has been implemented beginning this January 2012. However, South Africa is not covered under this plan. You will still need to get rabies vaccinations, a blood test, and a period of 3 months before being able to bring in your pet. The new program eliminated the blood test and whittled the quarantine period to a mere 21 days for European Union countries.

South Africa was not included because of the risk of infectious animal diseases like the tapeworm infection, exotic ticks and fleas. The same rule applies for travel to European Union countries and in many Asian countries as well. You have to get the details from your local travel agency or the embassy. Lastly, never travel overseas without proof of vaccination.

For Local Travel

Local travel with your pet is obviously easier if you are planning to travel by land in your vehicle. Your topmost concern would be fleas and ticks. Once infected, the fleas can multiply like magic with just one female flea laying over 2,000 eggs or 50 eggs per day, and being able to suck your pet’s blood. Your pet can easily pick up an egg, larvae, or adult flea simply by walking in gardens, parks, or even while you are visiting a friend in his home. An even more complicated problem is that fleas can shift to humans or be swallowed and cause tapeworms to grow inside the body.

South Africa does not have the kind of winter cold weather that could kill fleas, so precautions have to be taken. Here are some guidelines on how to protect your dog or cat from a flea infestation:

• Apply a flea prevention liquid like Frontline which is only done once a month
• Kill larvae by spraying your car seats or the area where your pet will be staying during the trip
• Take your pet to the vet for a check-up before the trip

If you are travelling with your family, you may need to be watchful over one kind of situation. It is possible that your pet was given the Frontline for fleas. This is a good solution but it does not mean the pet cannot be a carrier. Fleas can cling to your pet and transfer to the first available warm-blooded host to survive and multiple. That host could be your children or yourself!

Obviously humans cannot take Frontline but they can shower and wash their clothes daily. This is the best way to prevent anyone in the vehicle from being a host to fleas.