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Country entry guide · South America

Traveling to Paraguay with your dog

Difficulty: Easy — one uniform Mercosur scheme for most origins ⏱ A few weeks to prepare

Paraguay welcomes dogs, and its entry rules are refreshingly uniform: the same procedure applies to a personal pet arriving from almost anywhere. SENACSA (Servicio Nacional de Calidad y Salud Animal), the national animal-health authority, applies the Mercosur standard in force — Resolución GMC N° 20/2024 — and asks for a single document: an International Veterinary Certificate (CVI) issued, signed and stamped by the official veterinary authority of the country you travel from, or a current official passport endorsed by that authority. The CVI must show a clinical examination, a valid rabies vaccination and internal and external antiparasitic treatment. There is no rabies antibody test, no compulsory microchip and no quarantine for a healthy pet — SENACSA simply inspects your dog and its documents at the point of entry. This guide explains exactly what to prepare, and the timing to respect, before you book your flight.

📋 At a glance

Dogs allowed	Yes (up to 5 as pets; 6+ is a commercial import)
ISO microchip	Not required for entry (ISO 11784/11785 if used)
Rabies vaccination	Required from 90 days of age (exemption from a rabies-free country/zone)
Rabies antibody test	Not required
Veterinary certificate (CVI or endorsed passport)	Required
Antiparasitic treatment (internal & external)	Required
Quarantine	Not required for a compliant, healthy pet

⚠️ Important

MyDogCanFly provides general information — not veterinary or legal advice.
Only a veterinarian can confirm the exact procedure for your individual dog.
Requirements depend on: the country of origin, previous travel history, identification, vaccinations, the itinerary and the travel date.

Always consult your veterinarian before booking your trip.

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🧭 How your dog's entry requirements are decided

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✅ Entry requirements

Requirement	Required?	Exceptions	Official reference
ISO microchip	Not required for entry	Mercosur States reserve the right to define the identification method. If an electronic system is used, the microchip must comply with ISO 11784 and/or ISO 11785, and the CVI must state its anatomical location. Paraguay does not impose a microchip for entry, but one is strongly advised for identification and the return trip.	Mercosur Res. GMC 20/2024, Art. 17
Rabies vaccination	Required from 90 days of age	A country or zone that meets the WOAH (OMSA) Terrestrial Code conditions to be declared officially rabies-free is exempt, provided the destination State recognises this condition beforehand and it is certified on the CVI.	Mercosur Res. GMC 20/2024, Art. 9, 10 & 12
Rabies antibody test	Not required	Paraguay's published entry requirements (Res. GMC 20/2024) do not include a rabies antibody test for any origin. (A rabies antibody test is only demanded the other way round — for pets leaving Paraguay bound for the European Union.)	Mercosur Res. GMC 20/2024 (full resolution)
Clinical examination	Required	Its content is embedded in the International Veterinary Certificate (CVI).	Mercosur Res. GMC 20/2024, Art. 14
Antiparasitic treatment (internal & external)	Required	Unlike Uruguay, Paraguay does not require the internal product to contain praziquantel for its own entry — that is a Uruguay-specific add-on.	Mercosur Res. GMC 20/2024, Art. 13
International Veterinary Certificate (CVI) or endorsed passport	Required	A current official passport, issued or endorsed by the origin's veterinary authority, may be accepted instead if it carries all the data required on the CVI. The original CVI is not retained — it stays with the owner.	Mercosur Res. GMC 20/2024, Art. 5, 6, 7 & 8
Advance notification / import authorization	Not required for an accompanied pet	If the dog travels unaccompanied / as cargo, contact SENACSA in advance (Departamento de Certificación Sanitaria) to arrange the procedure, as additional handling applies.	SENACSA — Viajar con Mascotas (Ingreso/Egreso de Animales de Compañía)
Border check (SENACSA inspection)	Required on arrival	The original CVI is not retained by the officials and continues in the owner's possession.	Mercosur Res. GMC 20/2024, Art. 5 & 7; SENACSA — Viajar con Mascotas
Puppies / minimum age	Special certification under 90 days	Airline age rules and your home country's return rules may be stricter.	Mercosur Res. GMC 20/2024, Art. 11 & 16
Quarantine	Not required	If an animal fails to meet the requirements on arrival, the veterinary authority may apply the sanitary measures it deems appropriate — rejection, return to the country of origin, retention or another measure — with all resulting costs borne by the owner.	Mercosur Res. GMC 20/2024, Art. 18 & 19

🗓 In what order, and when

Some steps only count once the previous one is done — check each deadline against the official reference above.

Rabies vaccinationAnimals aged 90 days or more must enter vaccinated against rabies, with a vaccine authorised by the veterinary authority of the country where it was applied and immunity still valid. A first (primary) vaccination must be given at least 21 days before shipment; a pet not re-vaccinated before the vaccine expired is treated as primary-vaccinated.
Clinical examinationCarried out within the 10 days before the CVI is issued, by a registered veterinarian in the exporting country, certifying the animal shows no evidence of infectious-contagious or parasitic diseases and is fit for transport to the Mercosur States.
Antiparasitic treatment (internal & external)Broad-spectrum treatment against internal and external parasites within the 15 days before the CVI is issued, using veterinary products approved by the origin's veterinary authority and following the manufacturer's recommendations. The CVI records the product, laboratory, active ingredient and date.
International Veterinary Certificate (CVI) or endorsed passportThe original CVI is issued by the veterinary authority of the exporting country under Res. GMC 20/2024, and presented to the SENACSA veterinary inspector at the entry point. It is valid 60 calendar days from issue for entry, provided the rabies vaccination remains valid.
Advance notification / import authorizationFor up to 5 pets travelling with you, no prior import authorization is needed — you present the animal and the CVI to the SENACSA inspector at the entry point. From 6 animals, the shipment is treated as a commercial import of live animals and follows SENACSA import rules.
Border check (SENACSA inspection)At the point of entry, a SENACSA veterinary inspector carries out a documentary check (CVI or endorsed passport) and a sanitary check of the animal before authorising entry.
Puppies / minimum ageA dog under 90 days may enter without rabies vaccination when the exporting veterinary authority certifies on the CVI that the animal is under 90 days old and that it has not been in contact with any urban-rabies case in the last 90 days. A nursing litter under 90 days travelling with its mother is treated as one biological unit, and only the mother's health is certified.
QuarantineParaguay's entry procedure sets no routine quarantine for a compliant, healthy pet; the dog is released after a satisfactory inspection at the point of entry.

🌍 The different cases

Standard scheme — CVI or endorsed passport

For almost every origin the path is the same. Your dog needs an International Veterinary Certificate (CVI) issued, signed and stamped by the official veterinary authority of the country you travel from, under Mercosur Res. GMC 20/2024. It must show a clinical exam (within 10 days), a valid rabies vaccination and internal & external antiparasitic treatment (within 15 days). A current official passport carrying the same data and endorsed by the origin's authority is accepted instead. You present the dog and the CVI to the SENACSA inspector at the entry point; travelling with up to five pets needs no import authorization, and the original CVI stays with you.

⏱ Standard case: a few days to assemble the CVI once vaccination is valid — the clinical exam is done within 10 days before the CVI, deworming within 15 days before it, and the CVI is valid 60 days.

From a rabies-free country or zone

If your dog comes from a country or zone that meets the WOAH (OMSA) Terrestrial Code conditions to be declared officially rabies-free, it may enter without the rabies vaccination — provided the destination State recognises this condition beforehand and it is certified on the CVI. Every other requirement (clinical exam and internal & external antiparasitic treatment) still applies, and there is no antibody test in any case.

⏱ If the first rabies shot is still needed: plan ~3 weeks, as a primary vaccination must be given at least 21 days before shipment.

Puppies, Leishmaniosis & non-compliant arrivals

A puppy under 90 days may enter without rabies vaccination when the CVI certifies its age and that it has not been in contact with any urban-rabies case in the previous 90 days. A dog previously diagnosed with Leishmaniosis may be refused entry. If a dog arrives without meeting the sanitary requirements, the veterinary authority may reject it, return it to the country of origin, retain it or apply another measure it deems appropriate; the resulting costs and losses fall on the owner.

⏱ Puppies under 90 days: extra certification on the CVI (age + no urban-rabies contact where the pup lived in the last 90 days), so allow more preparation time.

🛬 Arrival

What happens when your dog reaches Paraguay centres on the SENACSA veterinary inspector at your point of entry.

When you travel with your dog, present the animal and the CVI (or endorsed official passport) to the SENACSA veterinary inspector at the entry point for a documentary and sanitary check.
Up to five pets travelling with you need no prior import authorization; from six animals, the entry follows SENACSA's commercial live-animal import rules.
The CVI is valid for 60 calendar days from issue, provided the rabies vaccination is still valid on the day of entry; the original CVI is not retained and must stay with you.
The clinical exam must be within 10 days before the CVI is issued, and deworming within 15 days before it — so time your veterinary appointments and departure carefully.
If your dog travels unaccompanied or as cargo, contact SENACSA's Departamento de Certificación Sanitaria in advance to arrange the procedure.
If documents are missing or invalid, or the dog is previously diagnosed with Leishmaniosis, SENACSA may reject, return or retain the animal; verify every requirement before you travel.

🛫 Leaving the country (return trip)

Paraguay is non-listed, so a valid rabies antibody titer is mandatory to return to the EU — plus an export health certificate endorsed by SENACSA.

⚠️ Start before you leave Anticipate the rabies antibody titer: blood test in an EU-approved lab, at least 30 days after vaccination — a valid result is essential to re-enter the EU and cannot be arranged at the last minute.
On site, before the flight SENACSA's certification department authorises the export and issues the international veterinary certificate (CVI) in person after online application.

⚠️ If your dog already had a valid EU rabies titer before leaving, it stays valid for life as long as the rabies vaccination is kept up — check this before you travel.

🔗 Authority: SENACSA

🚫 Restricted dogs

Paraguay's published entry framework (Mercosur Res. GMC 20/2024, applied by SENACSA) sets no breed-specific import ban for dogs entering the country. The base resolution lets a Member State create a specific regime restricting 'dangerous' breeds — but only when formally established and agreed with the exporting country, and no such national import ban is documented for Paraguay's own entry procedure.

Category 1

No banned category at entry: no dog breed is refused entry to Paraguay on the basis of its breed under the published SENACSA/Mercosur entry requirements, provided the sanitary requirements (CVI or endorsed passport, rabies vaccination, antiparasitic treatment, clinical exam) are met.

Category 2

Important clarification: SENACSA's 'Viajar con Mascotas' page does list prohibited breeds (Pit Bull, Staffordshire, several mastiff/molosser types, etc.), but that list appears within the requirements for pets bound for the United Arab Emirates (a destination/export requirement), not within Paraguay's own import rules. Do not read it as a Paraguayan entry ban. Whether Paraguay maintains any separate national dangerous-dog import law is Unknown from official sources.

Because no national breed import ban is documented for entry, focus on the SENACSA/Mercosur sanitary rules. If your dog belongs to a molosser or 'dangerous' type, confirm directly with SENACSA before you travel, and check any local ownership rules that may apply once in Paraguay.

✈️ Airlines flying to Paraguay with a dog

Carriers we document that serve this country and accept dogs. The verdict is the airline's general policy — it does not prejudge your breed, your crate or your exact route.

LATAM 1 airport Cabin Avianca 1 airport Cabin Air Europa 1 airport Cabin Copa Airlines 1 airport Cabin Aerolíneas Argentinas 1 airport Cabin

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🛂 Airports in Paraguay

Check where your dog can relieve itself at each airport — and whether it's before or after security.

Asunción ASU

Paraguay with a dog: common questions

Paraguay: What does my dog need to enter?

Paraguay requires: Rabies vaccination, Clinical examination, Antiparasitic treatment (internal & external), International Veterinary Certificate (CVI) or endorsed passport, Border check (SENACSA inspection).

Paraguay: Is a rabies antibody test required?

Paraguay — Rabies antibody test: Not required.

Paraguay: Are any dog breeds banned?

Paraguay: How long does it take to prepare a dog?

Standard case: a few days to assemble the CVI once vaccination is valid — the clinical exam is done within 10 days before the CVI, deworming within 15 days before it, and the CVI is valid 60 days.…

Paraguay: What is needed to leave with a dog?