Most pet parents are used to giving external parasite treatments to their pets to prevent disease at home. When traveling, however, you must meet the health requirements of your destination. This often includes treating your pet for external and/or internal parasites. Such requirements may exist due to the parasites present in your home country (for example, if you live where ticks are common), your destination's standards (such as tick-free Bermuda), or as a preventive measure to reduce disease transmission across borders.
Here's what you need to do before traveling internationally with your pet:
Check your arrival date and compare it to when you last gave a parasite treatment. Don't administer a treatment yourself close to your departure date. Your veterinarian must administer it and document it on your required travel paperwork.
If you've already given a parasite treatment, don't worry. Save the treatment details in your Digital Pet Passport, even if unverified. This helps your veterinarian select a different treatment that won't interact with the previous one.
If a veterinarian previously administered a parasite treatment verified through PadsPass, you might be able to use this documentation at your destination to avoid needing another treatment.
Seasonal considerations should also be taken into account. Increase your vigilance during peak parasite seasons, which typically occur in the warmer months, and adjust treatment timing based on parasite prevalence in your area.
If you're concerned about protecting your pet from ticks or fleas in the window before a veterinarian can administer the required treatment, ask your veterinarian about interim options that won't interact with the required parasite medications. Keep in mind that interim measures aren't accepted for official travel requirements — only the veterinarian-administered, documented treatment counts.
A complete pet profile in PadsPass — microchip number, the date the microchip was first scanned, and your pet's most recent rabies vaccination (the two most recent, if possible) — makes it easier to keep treatment records organized for your trip.
Requirements and treatment windows vary by destination and can change, so confirm current rules with your airline and the destination's official animal import authority. Final acceptance of your pet and their documents rests with the airline and the destination authority.