The European Council and European Parliament have agreed that controls must be maintained to keep the UK free from the tapeworm Echinococcus multilocularis (EM).
The British Veterinary Association (BVA) and British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA) have welcomed the announcement that the European Council and European Parliament have adopted the Commission’s delegated regulation to allow the pre-movement treatment for dogs travelling to listed Member States that are EM-free (i.e. the UK, Ireland, Finland and Malta).
The UK’s derogation from European pet travel rules, which allows additional protection for the UK against rabies, ticks and tapeworms, will end on 31 December 2011. The movement rules on rabies and ticks will now be harmonised with the rest of Europe. However, due to the significant public health risk posed by EM, the BVA and BSAVA (working with Defra, the Federation of Veterinarians of Europe [FVE] and colleagues in Veterinary Ireland) continued to lobby for controls on tapeworms to be maintained.
The new regulation will ensure that a dog must be treated by a veterinary surgeon 24 to 120 hours (1-5 days) before entering one of the listed countries.
Commenting, Carl Padgett, President of the BVA, said:
“After many months of lobbying by the BVA, BSAVA and Defra we are delighted that the European Council and European Parliament have adopted this delegated regulation which will enable the UK to maintain these additional tapeworm controls.
“Although EM is relatively benign in dogs, the resulting disease in humans – alveolar echinococcosis – is an invasive, cancer-like cystic state of the parasite, and is invariably fatal if not treated. It is therefore vital to maintain tapeworm controls to keep this serious zoonotic disease out of the country.
“Although the new regulation does not include a legal requirement of pre-movement treatment for ticks it is very important that owners continue to treat their animals both before and during travel to prevent infection with tick-borne diseases such as Babesiosis and Ehrlichiosis, which can often be life threatening to pet animals.”
Andrew Ash, President of BSAVA, added:
“Echinococcus multilocularis is a significant public health threat. Whilst border controls are important, they are not infallible. The pet owning public must be made aware through education that tapeworm treatment is not a bureaucratic hurdle, but a measure that might save their lives. We don't have this disease in the UK and we don't want it.
“The BVA and BSAVA will continue to promote the best possible health and welfare advice for pet owners taking their animals abroad. Our advice to owners is to speak to a vet as early as possible to make sure pets are protected from all diseases and parasites encountered abroad.”