Dog & Cat Health Examinations Required for International Travel (Canada to Worldwide)

Almost every country requires a pre-travel veterinary exam to confirm that your pet is healthy, free of disease, and fit to fly. The timing and details depend on the destination.

A pet travel health exam checks your pet’s identity, vaccines, microchip, fitness to fly, and paperwork. Most countries — and all airlines — require this exam before international travel.

What Vets Check During the Exam

A certified travel vet will review:

1. Microchip

Confirming ISO standard and scanning it for accuracy.

2. Vaccination History

Rabies, core vaccines, parasite treatments if required.

3. Physical Health

• Heart
• Lungs
• Body condition
• Any signs of illness
• Temperature

4. Fitness to Fly

Ensuring your pet is stable enough for air travel.

5. Country-Specific Forms

• USA: APHIS form
• EU: EU Health Certificate
• UK: AHC
• Japan/Australia: multi-page veterinary forms

How Long the Appointment Takes

• Short flights (USA): 15–20 minutes
• Complex destinations: 30–60 minutes

CFIA Role in Canada

After the vet exam, many destinations require the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) to endorse the documents.

Appointments must be booked in advance.

Typical Health Exam Checklist

• Physical assessment (heart, lungs, temperature, hydration)
• Microchip verification
• Rabies vaccine validation
• Country-specific parasite treatments (EU, UK, Australia, etc.)
• General fitness-for-flight evaluation

Exam Timelines by Region

• EU: within 10 days of entry
• UK: within 10 days + tapeworm treatment window
• Asia: typically 2–7 days before travel
• U.S.: often no certificate unless via airline or CFIA request
• Australia/NZ: numerous pre-export exams

CFIA Endorsement

All health forms must be reviewed and signed by a CFIA official vet.

How SuperPets Helps

We ensure you book exams within the required timelines, prepare health forms for your veterinarian, and handle CFIA coordination to prevent delays or travel refusals.

We pre-fill the travel forms based on your destination so the vet only completes the medical fields. This saves time and reduces errors.