Pets Brought into the UK: Health Testing and Care

Bringing a pet into the UK, whether through rescue, adoption, or purchase, can be hugely rewarding. However, dogs and cats that have travelled from abroad may carry diseases that are rare here. Some of these infections can spread to other pets, and a few even pose risks to people.

The challenge is that many infections have a latent or silent phase, pets may appear perfectly healthy for months or even years before symptoms develop. Testing soon after arrival is the only reliable way to identify hidden disease.

At Battersea Square Vets, we offer comprehensive health checks and blood testing tailored to pets that have travelled. Our aim is to keep your new companion safe, protect your household, and give you peace of mind.

Why testing pets from abroad matters

Hidden infections: Many diseases lie dormant before causing illness.
Different risks overseas: Stray and rescue animals often come from areas where serious infections are common.
Protecting resident pets: Testing prevents transmission to other pets in your home.
Public health: Some infections, such as Brucella canis, can affect people.

Recommended tests for dogs that have travelled

Depending on your dog’s country of origin, we may suggest screening for:

Brucella canis – infection may remain hidden for months or years. Dogs can carry the bacteria silently, then later develop infertility, swollen lymph nodes, or other signs. Crucially, they may still spread the infection to other dogs (and rarely to people) during the latent phase.
Leishmania – dogs may be infected abroad and appear completely healthy for years. Symptoms such as weight loss, skin lesions, and eye disease can appear long after they arrive in the UK.
Ehrlichia and Anaplasma – these tick-borne infections can have a long subclinical phase. Dogs may show no signs for months before developing fever, bleeding problems, or joint pain.
Babesia – some dogs carry the parasite without symptoms, only becoming ill (with anaemia and weakness) under stress or months after arrival.
Heartworm – the parasite can take up to six months or longer to mature and cause illness, so dogs may test negative early on but still harbour developing larvae. Signs may not be seen for over a year.
Routine UK checks – leptospirosis, vaccination titres, and parasite screens remain important for all dogs.

Recommended tests for cats that have travelled

For cats arriving from abroad, we advise screening for:

Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV) – infection may remain silent for years. Cats can appear completely healthy while carrying the virus, then later develop chronic infections or weight loss.
Feline Leukaemia Virus (FeLV) – some cats suppress the infection at first, only to show signs (anaemia, cancers, immune suppression) months or years later.
Feline Coronavirus (FCoV) / FIP risk – many cats that have travelled carry coronavirus with no symptoms. In a small number, the virus later mutates into FIP, often triggered by stress.
Toxoplasmosis – cats may carry dormant cysts with no outward signs. Illness can occur later, especially if their immune system becomes suppressed.
General blood and faecal screening – ensures we detect other silent or low-grade infections and parasites.

What to expect at your pet’s first visit

A full physical examination
Discussion of your pet’s travel and medical history
Tailored blood and parasite testing
A vaccination and parasite control plan based on UK risks
Ongoing monitoring: recognising that some infections may only declare themselves months later

How this helps you and your pet:

Even if your dog or cat seems perfectly healthy, they may still be in the latent phase of infection.
Early testing helps us catch hidden problems, prevent spread, and put in place a monitoring plan so nothing is missed later on.
With careful screening and support, pets that have travelled from abroad go on to live long, happy, healthy lives: testing simply gives them the best possible start.