Tapeworm treatment for dogs

A vet must treat your dog for tapeworm and record it in either an animal health certificate or a valid pet passport if you’re travelling directly to:

  • Finland
  • Ireland
  • Malta
  • Northern Ireland
  • Norway

The treatment must have been given no less than 24 hours and no more than 120 hours (5 days) before you arrive.

The treatment must:

  • be approved for use in the country it’s being given in
  • contain praziquantel or an equivalent proven to be effective against the Echinococcus multilocularis tapeworm

Short trips

If you’re leaving Great Britain (England, Wales and Scotland) for a short trip to visit countries other than Finland, Ireland, Malta, Northern Ireland or Norway, you could have your dog treated by a vet before you go.

You must wait for 24 hours before re-entering Great Britain and return within 120 hours or you’ll need to get another treatment abroad.

Information your vet needs to record

Check the vet has put the following details in the ‘Echinococcus treatment’ section of your dog’s animal health certificate or valid pet passport:

  • the name and manufacturer of the product
  • the date and time they treated your dog
  • their stamp and signature