Diseases of the Travelling Pet Part 4 Emerging Diseases and Chemoprophylaxis Ian Wright BVMS, MSc, MRCVS www.vet-ecpd.com www.centralcpd.co.uk
Diseases of the travelling pet Ian Wright BVMS.Bsc. Msc. MRCVS Co-owner of the Mount Veterinary Practice, independent Parasitologist and head of ESCCAP UK & Ireland. Contact telephone - 07816337293 Contact e mail hammondia@hotmail.com Introduction Introduction The PETS travel scheme has greatly simplified pet travel to and from the UK, while attempting to limit the risk of introduction of significant zoonosis into the country. There are however, a multitude of parasitic diseases which cats and dogs travelling abroad are likely to be exposed to which are not covered on the scheme. Some of these such as Dirofilaria immitis and Babesia canis are serious and potentially fatal pathogens of domestic animals, where others such as Leishmania infantum and Rickettsia cornii represent a zoonotic hazard. Of these parasitic threats, there is only a legal requirement for clients to protect their pets against rabies and Echinococcus multilocularis before they return to the UK. This makes giving accurate advice to pet owners travelling abroad and ensuring that parasite protection is put in place vital, both in terms to disease risk while pets are abroad, and the risk of novel pathogens being brought back into the UK. The latter risk has been demonstrated by the introduction of Babesica canis canis to Essex. Questions have been asked about the dropping of the compulsory tick treatment before return to The UK and what might have been done to prevent this outbreak. While these are valid and legitimate questions, focus also needs to be on the myriad of other disease threats that might be introduced. To give the correct advice to owners and, and preventative treatment to their pets, the countries being visited, parasites present and lifestyle of the pet all need to be considered.
Pet travel advice When establishing a parasite control program for pets travelling abroad, the destination, countries being travelled through, parasites likely to be present, life style of the pet and compliance all need to be considered. When advising clients as to the chemoprophylaxis they require for their pets when travelling abroad, decisions can be made by dividing travel destinations into Northern and Southern Europe. Northern Europe Protection is required against E.multilocularis and tick borne diseases. A pyrethroid based tick repellant is therefore required for dogs (licensed spot on or collar) and a Seresto collar for cats should be considered. Monthly praziquantel is required while abroad with the compulsory treatment 1-5 days before return to the UK and then a further treatment within a month of having arrived back on UK soil. Southern Europe, central France, Romania and Bulgaria As for Northern Europe but protection against D.immitis and L.infantum are also required. Tick repellant products will help to repel sandflies but for maximum efficacy pyrethroid spot on preparations in dogs should be applied every 2 weeks. Leishmania vaccination should also be offered for dogs travelling regularly to Southern Europe. A monthly macrocyclic lactone (selamectin, moxidectin, milbemycin oxime or eprinomection) should be administered for heartworm protection. In addition, clients should be advised that tick replant products are not 100% effective and so they should take a tick hook and check their pets (and themselves!) at least every 24 hours for ticks. Sand flies are poor fliers so camping at altitude and sleeping upstairs will help to limit exposure. Dawn and dusk are the most common feeding times for sandflies so walking at these times should be avoided if possible. Fine mesh mosquito bed nets will also afford some protection. Having established parasite exposure risk, compliance must also be considered. 1. Does owner shampoo pet/frequent swimming? If so, a systemically absorbed product may be more suitable 2. Preference for tablet/spot on /collar Maximising compliance is essential. A product is only useful if administered correctly and clients will become disheartened if a product is difficult to give. 3. Reaction to product in past such as a local reaction to spot on treatments or collars in the past, or a history of vomiting on specific oral medications.
Parasite distribution maps can be found at www.esccap.org and www.esccapuk.org.uk in the travelling sections. Further information about PETS rules and entry into the UK can be found at www.gov.uk/take-pet-abroad. Further reading Atkins C (1999). The diagnosis of feline heartworm infection. Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association 35: 185 7 Deplazes P & Eckert J (1996). Diagnosis of the Echinococcus multilocularis infection in final hosts. Applied Parasitology 37: 245-52 Deplazes P, Hegglin D, Gloor S & Romig T (2003). Wilderness in the city: the urbanization of Echinococcus multilocularis. Trends in Parasitology 20: 77-83 Geisweid K, Weber K, Sauter-Louis C & Hartmann K (2013). Evaluation of a conjunctival swab polymerase chain reaction for the detection of Leishmania infantum in dogs in a non-endemic area. Veterinary Journal 198: 187-92 Hansford KM, Pietzsch M, Cull M & Medlock JM (2015). Brown dog tick infestation of a home in England. Veterinary Record 176:129-30 Matjila PT, Penzhorn, BL, Bekker CP, Nijhof AM & Jongejan F (2004). Confirmation of occurrence of Babesia canis vogeli in domestic dogs in South Africa. Veterinary Parasitology 122: 119 25. Molina R, Espinosa-Góngora C, Gálvez R, Montoya A, Descalzo MA et al (2012). Assessing permethrin applied to dogs as a spot-on against sand flies. Veterinary Parasitology 187:529-33
Phipps L, Del Mar Fernandez De Marco M, Hernández-Triana L, Johnson N, Swainsbury C et al (2016) Babesia canis detected in dogs and associated ticks from Essex Veterinary Record 178: 243-4. Roze M (2005) Canine Leishmaniasis. A spreading disease. Diagnosis and treatment. European Journal Companion Animal Practice. 15 Smith, F., Ballantyne, R., Morgan, E. & Wall, R. (2011) The prevalence, distribution and risk associated with tick infestation of dogs in Great Britain. Medical & Veterinary Entomology 25: 377-84. Smith, FD. Ballantyne, R., Morgan, E. & Wall, R. (2012) Estimating Lyme disease risk using pet dogs as sentinels. Comparative Immunology, Microbiology & Infectious Diseases 35: 163-7. Swainsbury C, Bengtson G & Hill P (2016). Babesiosis in dogs. Veterinary Record 178:172 Torgerson PR & Craig PS (2009). Risk assessment of importation of dogs infected with Echinococcus multilocularis into the UK. The Veterinary Record 165: 366-8 Wolfe A., Hogan S., Maguire D, Fitzpatrick C, Mulcahy G et al (2001). Red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) in Ireland as hosts for parasites of potential zoonotic and veterinary significance. The Veterinary Record 149, 759-763. Woodmansey D (2016) New tick-borne disease confirmed in UK dogs Veterinary Times 46: 1