Brucella canis — changes for dogs from abroad and dogs travelling abroad. We can no longer register imported dogs, and imported dogs already registered with us need a negative APHA test. Dogs that travel abroad need an APHA test three months after returning before any routine surgery. See our Brucella canis page for full details.

From 1 July 2026, we've changed the way we provide written prescriptions. Collecting medication directly from us is unchanged. See our repeat prescriptions page for details of what's changed and why.

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Brucella canis Testing

To keep pets, owners and our team safe, we follow strict rules on Brucella canis — a bacterial infection that can pass from dogs to people. It is most often found in dogs that have been brought into the UK from abroad.

Our policy covers two groups of dogs:

  • Dogs from abroad — dogs imported, rehomed or rescued from outside the UK, or with an unknown travel history (see below).
  • UK dogs that travel abroad — for a holiday, breeding or any other reason (see dogs travelling abroad).

Following a review of our risk assessment, and in line with guidance from the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), the British Veterinary Association (BVA) and the RCVS, our policy for dogs from abroad changed on 10 September 2026, and our policy for dogs travelling abroad started on 29 September 2026.

New clients — we are not able to register imported dogs

We are unable to register new clients whose dog:

  • has been imported or relocated from outside the UK
  • has been rehomed or rescued from another country
  • has an unknown, incomplete or uncertain travel history

When you register, we will ask:

  • Has your dog ever lived outside the United Kingdom?
  • Was your dog imported, rehomed or rescued from another country?
  • Is your dog’s full travel and origin history known and documented?

If the answer to any of these is yes — or is uncertain — we will not be able to register your dog. Because of the risk to people and the infection control measures involved, there are no exceptions to this.

We are sorry that we cannot help in these cases. We would suggest contacting a veterinary practice that is able to provide care for imported dogs.

Existing clients — a negative APHA test is required

If you are already registered with us, your dog will need a documented negative APHA Brucella canis test result before we can provide further care if they:

  • were imported from outside the UK
  • were rehomed or rescued from an overseas rescue organisation
  • have an unknown or unverified travel or origin history
  • have previously been identified by us as higher risk

Without a negative APHA result, we are not able to provide:

  • routine consultations
  • elective procedures or surgery
  • hospitalisation
  • ongoing or non-urgent treatment

If this applies to your dog, please book their test within 28 days. We know this takes a little arranging, so there is a short window to get it booked in — but until we have a negative result we will not be able to go ahead with routine or non-urgent care.

Arranging the test

Your dog can have the APHA test done with us — it does not need to be carried out elsewhere. Please contact us to book an appointment.

How many tests are needed depends on how long your dog has been in the UK:

  • In the UK for more than 3 months → one blood test
  • In the UK for 3 months or less → two blood tests, taken 3 months apart

Samples are processed by the APHA-approved laboratory at Weybridge, and include the dual serological testing set out in the APHA protocol.

The charge for testing covers:

  • blood sampling fee
  • iELISA test
  • SAT test
  • postage and packaging

Additional PPE charges apply where a dog’s Brucella status is unknown or positive.

If you would prefer not to test

We will unfortunately be unable to continue providing veterinary care, and we would advise registering with a practice that is able to manage higher-risk imported dogs.

Adding another dog to your account

We are no longer able to register additional dogs to existing client accounts where those dogs come from outside the UK or have an overseas history.

Dogs travelling abroad

This applies to UK dogs that travel outside the UK for any reason, including holidays and breeding. It applies whenever the trip took place — including trips before this policy started.

  • Let us know when your dog has been abroad and the date they came back to the UK.
  • Your dog will need an APHA Brucella canis blood test three months after returning. The wait gives antibodies time to develop, so the test is more likely to pick up an infection.
  • If your dog travels abroad again before being tested, the three months start again from the latest return date.

Your dog can have the test done with us, and the charges are the same as listed above under Arranging the test.

Routine surgery: we will postpone routine or elective surgery until the three-month test has been done and a vet has reviewed the result and confirmed it is appropriate to go ahead. We can’t book or confirm a surgery date before then.

If our team has concerns about your dog’s travel history or testing status at any time, we may postpone a procedure while a vet reviews the situation. With your consent, we may also take a blood sample for an in-house SNAP test, but this does not replace the APHA test.

Other care, such as consultations and vaccinations, carries on as normal.

If your dog is unwell or needs urgent care: please contact us. A vet will assess them and advise on treatment and any extra safety precautions.

Planning a trip? Please speak to us before you travel.

Emergency care

Immediate, life-saving emergency treatment will always be assessed on welfare grounds, in line with the RCVS Code of Professional Conduct.

Where a dog’s Brucella canis status is unknown or unconfirmed:

  • we may carry out an in-house SNAP test as an initial screen
  • additional biosecurity measures and PPE charges will apply
  • treatment that is not life-threatening may be deferred until their status is confirmed
  • a negative APHA result will be needed before we can continue with ongoing care

Please note: a negative SNAP test does not clear your dog. We have seen dogs return a negative SNAP result and then test positive on the full APHA test, so we cannot rely on the SNAP test alone. Only a negative APHA result allows routine, elective or ongoing care to go ahead.

Why we have made this change

Brucella canis can be passed from dogs to people, and imported dogs are the highest-risk group. The main concerns are:

  • infected dogs often show no visible signs at all
  • test sensitivity varies with the timing and stage of infection
  • false negative results are possible, particularly early in infection — including on in-house SNAP tests
  • infection is lifelong in dogs that test positive
  • there is a real occupational risk to veterinary staff through contact with bodily fluids

A general practice like ours is not always equipped to isolate and manage these cases safely. After carrying out a risk assessment, we concluded that continuing to take on imported and higher-risk dogs presents an unacceptable risk to our staff, our clients, and the other animals in our care.

Safety measures

  • Any dog that tests positive, or is suspected to be positive, is handled under strict isolation.
  • Staff wear full PPE.
  • Confirmed cases are reported to APHA as legally required.

We review this policy every year, and sooner if APHA, BVA or RCVS guidance changes.

If you have any questions, please contact us — we are here to support you and your pet every step of the way.