Requirement
Tapeworm treatment for pet travel: what it is and who requires it
A timed treatment for dogs going to a few countries. What a tapeworm treatment is, why authorities require it, and the exact requirement in every country we cover, quoted from the official source.
Updated 2026-10-12
A few destinations that are free of the tapeworm Echinococcus multilocularis (the UK, Ireland, Finland, Malta and Norway) require dogs to be treated shortly before arrival. A vet must record the product and the time of the treatment in the certificate.
The window is narrow: usually between 24 and 120 hours before arrival. That is a task for the last days of the trip, and a good reason to know your flight times.
What to watch for
- The treatment must be given by a vet. Norway says owners may not treat the animals themselves.
- The window is counted to arrival at the border, so a delayed flight can break it.
Who requires it, and exactly how
Each entry below is taken from the country’s rule file and links to the page it comes from. Where a rule only applies to some pets or origins, the condition is shown.
- Entering
Tapeworm treatment (dogs)
Your pet is a dog and you do not travel from Finland, Ireland, Northern Ireland (UK), Malta or Norway
A vet must treat your dog for tapeworm (praziquantel) and record it. It must be given no less than 24 hours and no more than 120 hours (5 days) before you arrive.
“no less than 24 hours before you enter Great Britain”
- Entering
Tapeworm treatment (dogs)
Your pet is a dog and it is not true that the country you travel from is in the group: Finland (incl. Åland), Ireland, Malta, Northern Ireland — pet passport, no tapeworm treatment
A vet must treat your dog (puppies too) against Echinococcus with praziquantel (or epsiprantel) 24 to 120 hours before you enter Norway, and record it in the certificate or pet passport. You can't do it yourself.
“An anti-echinococcus treatment is required for dogs, including puppies.”
- Entering
Tapeworm treatment (dogs)
Your pet is a dog and you travel to Finland, Ireland or Malta
Dogs entering Finland, Ireland or Malta must be treated by a vet against Echinococcus multilocularis (praziquantel) between 24 and 120 hours before the scheduled entry, recorded on the certificate.
“within a period of not more than 120 hours and not less than 24 hours before the time of scheduled entry”