Importance of Leptospirosis vaccine for international pet travel

International pet travel is an elaborate process that involves paperwork, documentation, veterinary tests, vaccinations and much more. Every destination country has a different set of regulations, and these regulations change depending on the country your pet is travelling from.

If you are planning for your pet dog to travel to countries such as Thailand a leptospirosis vaccination or blood test are mandatory before departure.

What is Leptospirosis?

Leptospirosis is a bacterial disease that affects domestic and wild animals such as dogs, pigs, and cattle. It is a zoonotic disease – meaning it can spread from animals to humans – and it spreads through water, food and soil contaminated with the urine of infected animals. Leptospirosis is caused by Leptospira bacteria and dogs that live in rural areas near water bodies are most vulnerable to this disease.

Leptospirosis causes painful symptoms; however, it is curable if there is early veterinary intervention. Symptoms include fever, bleeding, muscle pain decreased appetite, vomiting, excessive thirst and urination, and jaundice. Severely affected dogs can develop lung problems and neurologic abnormalities.

Leptospirosis is preventable with a vaccine, and many countries insist on a Leptospirosis vaccination before travelling.

Leptospirosis vaccination schedule

Leptospirosis vaccine is one of the five mandatory vaccines, in addition to rabies, distemper, hepatitis and parvovirus, for international pet travel to most countries. Usually, the vaccine should be administered not less than 21 days before the date of travel.

Many countries require a leptospirosis test before departure. Only pet dogs that show negative results for leptospirosis 30 days prior to departure are allowed to fly.

The number of days varies for different countries; check with your pet travel partner for the accurate schedule before departure.

Moving to a new country with your pet?

Travelling to a new country with your pet dog or cat can be confusing because of the many pet import rules and veterinary regulations. Entry requirements differ from country and country, and it is a challenging task to keep track of the rules. If you are transporting your pet dog or cat to a different country, it is recommended to seek the assistance of a reputed and accredited pet relocation company. Drop us a line at Petraveller for more advice on pet relocation and detailed pet travel plans.