Guest Ana Posted January 27, 2005 Share Posted January 27, 2005 I am sure this topic has been covered a few times but I'm new and really confused by the whole Pet Passport thing which has recentloy changed anyway! Next Jan we are off to our small place in Spain travelling en route in our motorhome (Hymer) with our "girls" (2 yorkies!). One is microchipped already and the little one will be when spayed but they will need rabies jabs and these worry me although I have been reassured by many that they are safe. I have the telephone helpline number but need to gather information first before I ring. So, if we are off early January we need to have the rabies jabs done 7 months before as blood tests need doing a month after is this correct? THEN if we stay 3 months when will the next rabies jab be due? Are they yearly? Any information at all would be gratefully accepted - many thanks. I know they have to visit a vet in France prior to re-entry into the UK but some of the information is a bit hazy!!! Thanks, Ana x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Nick Miller Posted January 27, 2005 Share Posted January 27, 2005 Ana First of all have a look at the Pet Passport area of the DEFRA web site.It is a fund of information and should guide you through the process. The dog and i have been to France countless times and will gladly help if you need further information. Just post under this heading. I have a look at the site every two or three days. Interesting letter in the Caravan Club magazine this month insisting that the validity of the vacine is two years not the generally accepted one year.I have always vacinated my dog annually butI hardly feel my vet would tell me porkys just to inrease his cash flow.Dont believe that for a minute...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Alf W Posted January 27, 2005 Share Posted January 27, 2005 I agree with all Nick says and I too have taken our pooch to France on a number of occasions (and Spain once)without any hassle at all. The new Passport, a booklet like your own passport, is much simpler than the old system which involved a number of different bits of paper. The Rabies injection generally used in this country is active for 2 years, but in spite of the Caravan Club article referred to by Nick, there is a perception among Vets in this country that some European authorities do not believe this and want an annual booster. My own Vet, who is also my son-in-law (!) takes this view, and so we have an annual booster. It is all quite straight-forward, and you are unlikey to have any difficulty. There is an organisation whose name escapes me that, for a fee, will hold your hand through the process, but in my view you can save your money and do it all yourself with the guidance of your own vet. All the best. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Alf W Posted January 28, 2005 Share Posted January 28, 2005 Sorry ! It might be helpful to be clear that you do not need further blood tests after the first so long as the boosters are kept up to date i.e. no blood test after every booster. You will also find a helpful link on the DEFRA site to French Yellow pages - English Language version available - where "Veterinary Surgeon" and the town, will produce a list of Vets with details including a link to a map showing how to fine them. Your vet will provide the passport document which will contain the chip details of the dog for verification (with space for you to add a passport photo - not required !) and the details of the rabies injection and boosters. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Mel B Posted January 28, 2005 Share Posted January 28, 2005 We've just been through the process of having our dogs vaccinated: 1: Get the dogs microchipped if not already done. 2: Have them injected with the rabies vaccine 3: 2-4 weeks later go back to the vets for the blood test to be carried out (they will advise how long) 4: around amonth later you should receive a call from the vets to say that the dogs are vaccinated okay or need the vaccination repeating, if the latter then you'll have to start again with the jabs. If the dogs are okay, then the date they were vaccinated is the start of the 12 month period, not the blood test date. 5: the vets may need to see the dogs sometime before you depart to ensure they are in good health and give them some worming tablets but I can't remember if this is compulsory or not as we haven't got to that point yet! We asked our vets about the need for yearly vaccinations and her understanding is that, even though she uses the 2-year one, France requires it to be a yearly jab and, seeing as that's where we plan to go on holiday in the future, we will have a yearly jab but will ensure that it is carried out just before the 12 month expiry date, if you are late by just one day you will have to go through the whole vaccinnation and blood-testing process again. It might pay to you 'shop around' if you've no particular allegiance to your current vet as it just so happened we were looking to change anyway and saved over £40 per dog on the procedure. Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Nick Miller Posted January 28, 2005 Share Posted January 28, 2005 Ana... Be aware of two other diseases that COULD attack dogs in warmer climes. Babeosis..probably controlled by Frontline. Leishmania..caught from sand flybites.Insecticide might be of help. No need to panic just enter the two diseases in 'google' and take note. Alf W. As you have an inhouse? vet would be interested to know if he has any free thoughts on these two 'hot country ' complaints. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Alf W Posted January 28, 2005 Share Posted January 28, 2005 Never heard of either, Nick, but I'll make some enquiries. Watch this space. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest mac rivett Posted February 3, 2005 Share Posted February 3, 2005 hello, i am just a one off visitor to this site. (it's good innit ) I am currently trying to take our four parrots with us on holiday in our motorhome to France and Spain. WHAT a ruddy palaver. will we manage it ? watch this space ! ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ana Posted February 3, 2005 Share Posted February 3, 2005 Thank you all so much for your extremely helpful replies - I posted this when I first joined then was unable to get back on to read the replies owing to comp problems! Thanks SO much!! Ana x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Gordon Posted February 4, 2005 Share Posted February 4, 2005 Spain wooow.My vet says you need an animal import licence for Spain.May be flouted by many but what "if".. Gordon.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Nick Miller Posted February 5, 2005 Share Posted February 5, 2005 Gordon Me thinks your vet talkes of olde tymes. If he looks at Defra's web page ,Pets Passport' think he will find only Sweden,of European countries,needs extra documentation. Please check with him and come back.He might know something i dont(highly likely) and i can bring his Lordship's documentation up to date. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Alf w Posted February 5, 2005 Share Posted February 5, 2005 You certainly, in theory,needed import documentation for Spain 3 years ago, but since you drive through the French/Spanish border without anyone looking at anything it weas a bit of a nonsense. I suspect that the requirement has now gone with the introduction of the pan-european Pet Passport. You used to have to sign a declaration before returning to the UK certifying that the pooch had not been out of the qualifying European countries. That is no longer required either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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