Letters from Readers:

Hello,
I am moving from UK to US in a few months. I have an 11-year-old Jack Russell who has had all his shots and has been looked after well. What do I have to do to get him into US? - Andy

YOUR dog would have to be sent through a company like Ryslip or Pinehawk, which will make all the arrangements and tell you what is required. These companies have all the information required, specialized crates that you hire for the trip, and all the paperwork necessary for the dog's flight. Takes a big load off the shoulders of the owner too! I would contact them now so that if you need any extra inocculations etc for USA there is plenty of time to have any necessary tests and appointments done. Do make sure you know exactly what paperwork is required and do a final check with the company before the day of travel - all companies lose things sometimes and your dog will not be accepted into US without the paperwork.

In some parts of USA (maybe all, I am not sure on that) there is heart worm present, so make sure your dog is protected from that if you are going to be living in a heartworm area. All it requires is one Heartgard tablet every month (Heartgard is an Australian brand so may have a different name in UK or USA) but it must be kept up and regular!

Those companies I mentioned should be able to tell you whether the area you are going to is a heartworm area or not, or if not your vet. If you can, I would also see what you can find out on the internet as sometimes the information held by other countries is dated and you may get more recent information from a USA vet website or animal health website.

They seem to be a bit casual about it in USA, but it is often fatal if a dog becomes infected - the vet can kill the worm/s but secondary infection or heart blood vessel blockages often occur from the presence of the worm carcase. It may sound awful, but it is certainly nothing to worry about - you just have to keep up that protection. - Ed