magbrin Posted December 4, 2010 Share Posted December 4, 2010 I KNOW this is not the first time this subject has been discussed and it will not be the last. We have just returned from an excellent trip (without our pets) to France and Spain. We are considering taking them next year and I would be really greatful if someone could outline the full requirements for taking dogs abroad and approximate cost per dog (large) as well as timescale, as I know some injections are required at certain times prior to crossing. Also if there is an official website, that would also be useful Many Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Dwight Posted December 4, 2010 Share Posted December 4, 2010 Margaret, The dog needs a rabies injection, this needs to be done more than six months in advance. If it do's not take it will have to be done again. After the injection there has to be a blood test this defines wether the rabies shot has taken. Once this has been cleared the vet will issue you with a Pet Passport. This will cost in excess of £100. The Blood test is the most expensive part. You will need to use frontline before the dog go's abroad. The dog cannot be brought into the UK within six months of the rabies shot. When you come back the dog has to have frontline and a worming dose 48 hours before entering the UK. This has to be done by a vet. All the information can be obtained from the DEFRA web site. We use Advantix as this covers Sand Flies as well as Ticks and Fleas. The Vet in France or where ever will use your own medication if you take it with you. I am sure others will colntribute to this posting. David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maggyd Posted December 4, 2010 Share Posted December 4, 2010 You can find information on the Defra web site but I can supply you with the information you need. First thing to do is take your pets to the Vet and have a micro chip inserted if they dont already have one and they will have to have the rabies injection it doesnt matter the size of the dog the injection is the same, the chip cost me £21.15 and the rabies vaccine is £25.57 this was on the 1/11/10 so thats £46.72 for one dog. On the 22/11/10 the blood test was taken and that was £65.35 I have to ring on Mon; for the results to see if it has taken, if it has I will be issued with the Pet Passport which will be dated from the date of the day the bloods were taken, So I have to wait 6 months before I can come back in with the dog from that date, I can leave anytime in the 6 months I just cant come back untill the six months are up. Before I return to the U.K. I have to go to a Vet in France or wherever I am to have the dog treat for fleas and ticks I opt for Frontline and Drontel tab but with a larger dog you would probably be better with just the one injection that must be 24 hours before check in and not more than 48 hours. It is easy once you have done it for the first time its straight forward and there are lots of Vets to choose from and you will get lots of information from other people on here I have only up to now used the Vet at Marquis as I find that is easier for us. This is my second dog I have just had done she is a 5 month old puppy my other dog is coming up 5 years. You will need a booster every two years and you just have to remember to make a note of it as one day over and you need to start all over again. This all might sound a hassle but it isnt eally it is just the initual process that takes time. People in France Holland Germany etc; have this done along with their normal boosters I think it is compulsory over there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel B Posted December 4, 2010 Share Posted December 4, 2010 Just to add what has been said already, our vet uses a 3 year vaccine, so we don't have to have a booster until the 3rd year is nearly up - don't whatever you do MISS the deadline though, even by 1 day, as you'd have to start all over again from scratch, so it is important to make sure you know which vaccine has been used and the exact date the booster shot will need to be done by. We've used various vets prior to the return crossing, and avoid the ones in the ports etc like the plague as they really do hike the price up. If you are definitely wanting to tkae your pooches away with you next year I'd suggest you start the rabies vacs sooner rather than later, so you have at least 7 months clear before you expect to RETURN to the UK, that means if you start now, you would be able to bring the dogs back in July all being well, if you were hoping to return with them before then, you're out of luck I'm afraid. Defra website link below: http://www.defra.gov.uk/wildlife-pets/pets/travel/pets/procedures/owners.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
602 Posted December 5, 2010 Share Posted December 5, 2010 Hi, Get the "return to UK" treatment done 24 hours before you reach the ferry terminal. Book your return so that you don't ned to visit vet on Sunday .... though on the scale of things, the extra charge for a weekend appointment might be worth it. 602 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magbrin Posted December 5, 2010 Author Share Posted December 5, 2010 Thank you all for this. It will help us and I am sure it will help others as well to have it so clearly detailed. We will be thinking hard about it for the next month or two and if we decide to take them on our next trip in October/November next year we should have plenty of time to get them sorted out. Have any of your dogs had any problems with side effects from any of the jabs? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maggyd Posted December 5, 2010 Share Posted December 5, 2010 Hi mag; I understand your worry I thought long and hard before getting my dog done as I have chihuahuas, and there had been people that had heard storys :-S but No he was fine and I have just had my 5 month chi done and she is tiny, she wasn't even off colour as with the normal yearly jab! Im awaiting the result of the blood test. I asked my Vet about the three year one, but his excuse was No we only do the 2 year as you are more likely to forget if you wait thee years and as Mel said 1 day over and you have to start all over again!! If your Vet will do it by all means get it! it was only the July before last that I got Teddy done (my first one) and Im going to have to have him done before we go this next year as we could be out of the country when his is due end of July, and I dont fancy having to get the rabies booster done abroad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maggyd Posted December 5, 2010 Share Posted December 5, 2010 http://maps.google.co.uk/maps/ms?hl=en&ie=UTF8&msa=0&msid=114105716909631660500.0004774b0e0d2d4d09429&ll=47.249407,1.713867&spn=13.69356,28.256836&z=5 Above is a very handy link that you might find useful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maggyd Posted December 5, 2010 Share Posted December 5, 2010 :$ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poppy Posted December 5, 2010 Share Posted December 5, 2010 We have taken my small dog abroad three to four times now.Visited France, Germany, Luxumborg,Belgium and Holland.Never any problems and she has never had any side effects from anything.She seems to enjoy her trips. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RogerGW Posted December 5, 2010 Share Posted December 5, 2010 The relevant Defra page is here -- http://preview.tinyurl.com/2d5rkct . I suggest you read it carefully, especially the details on dates. UK border officials work to what's said there rather than suggestions given in an owners' forum. 8=) You can safely ignore the note on the page about the new Defra Web site. It links back to the page you first went to (but you don't have to take my word for it). Roger Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheer lunar-see Posted December 6, 2010 Share Posted December 6, 2010 Hi Mag, only thing to worry about is Do your dogs travel o.k, our springer is o.k. but sammy our collie x is a bit of a cowardly custard, so we always travel on the tunnel, so he's with us all the way, he still doesn't get it though, mum and dadin the back and no driver, but still moving. Good luck, Nigel & Dee. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel B Posted December 6, 2010 Share Posted December 6, 2010 maggyd - 2010-12-05 10:23 AM I asked my Vet about the three year one, but his excuse was No we only do the 2 year as you are more likely to forget if you wait thee years ... Sorry, but he's telling you a load of tosh! He's basically saying that you will forget, which is an insult! You could quite as easily forget to have it done before the second year too! More likely that they want the extra income of you having to go back every 2 years to pay for it! When you get the passport (after a successful blood test hopefully), ask to see the details of the vaccine they've used, and if it says it lasts for 3 years, make sure they put that on the passport, you're paying the bill so you should get what you pay for, not because it suits them (I am suspicious - I wonder if their computerised reminder system only goes for up to 2 years ....). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel B Posted December 6, 2010 Share Posted December 6, 2010 As has been suggested, think about your mode of travel. Whilst one of our dogs is fine on ferries the other one is terrified, so for us it has to be the tunnel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maggyd Posted December 6, 2010 Share Posted December 6, 2010 We go by tunnel as well :-S I don't like leaving a dog in the car with the noise of the engines. Mel I had already disagreed with the Vet ! he wanted to give her two injections two weeks apart, I think he thought I was trying to tell him his job!!Id rather leave it as it is as in some countries they have to have it every year. I wonder if Margaret might be interested in the Scallibor collar ? I bought one but never used it! but if your going in to Spain or Portugal they are needed to keep the sand flies off as these carry is it (leishmania ) or something !! will someone who knows what they are talking about please inform her. :-S I know Bruce,s O.H. did a thread on this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel B Posted December 6, 2010 Share Posted December 6, 2010 It was Sparkle and the subject was leishmania ... Here's the results of a search of the forum: Leishmania Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zulurita Posted December 7, 2010 Share Posted December 7, 2010 We only had one rabies vaccination for our old springer but she was over a 1 yr old when we started her pets passport. However we are having the two rabies vaccination for our new puppy. Reason: the first vaccination might not take in such a young dog. You would then pay for a blood test and if it showed no immunity you would then have to have a 2nd rabies vaccination and then another blood test 3 weeks later. As there is a high risk of the rabies vaccination not working on a puppy, ours is 14 weeks old and she had her first rabies vaccination last Wed, we have decided on the two rabies vaccination. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magbrin Posted December 7, 2010 Author Share Posted December 7, 2010 More helpful advice - thanks. As far as the collar is concerned I will pass at this stage a. Don't yet know if we will take them b. unlikely to go as far as Spain on the first trip with them c. Don't imagine that there is a problem with sandflies in October/November (may be wrong?) - but thanks for the thought. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maggyd Posted December 7, 2010 Share Posted December 7, 2010 No as I said Margaret I haven't used one and we have been going into France and Germany for the last three years, I just thought I would make you aware if you had intended going into Spain or Portugal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maggyd Posted December 7, 2010 Share Posted December 7, 2010 Thank goodness for that :-D the Vets receptionist has just rang me to let me know Tillys bloods has passed so I just need to go in and get her passport :-S I might tell you I was quite worried when someone else said they were getting their puppy done twice, phew!!! I can breath out now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derek500 Posted December 7, 2010 Share Posted December 7, 2010 Be aware you can save few quid using different carriers for your UK > France trip and France > UK. The tunnel and Norfolkline only charge on the return leg but 100% of the fee, so they're first choice for UK > France as pets go free. P&O and Seafrance charge both legs so only 50% of the fee for a one way trip. Therefore if you go out with Norfolkline and return with say Seafrance you're only paying £15 in total. Even though they charge for the UK > France leg, they actually do nothing with regards to the passport. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Grumpy Posted December 7, 2010 Share Posted December 7, 2010 Derek I find you comments about Sea France charging for dogs on the way to France strange. We have used them twice a year for the past 4 years and never been charged for the out bound trip. When we book the fee for the dog is added to the Calais / Dover leg and has always been the same as the Norfolk Line charge. I have not yet booked for our Spring 11 trip so there may be new rules in place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derek500 Posted December 8, 2010 Share Posted December 8, 2010 Mr. Grumpy - 2010-12-07 11:19 PM Derek I find you comments about Sea France charging for dogs on the way to France strange. We have used them twice a year for the past 4 years and never been charged for the out bound trip. When we book the fee for the dog is added to the Calais / Dover leg and has always been the same as the Norfolk Line charge. I have not yet booked for our Spring 11 trip so there may be new rules in place. Sorry, you're correct. It's P&O and LD Lines who charge 50% on each leg. Sea France charge 100% on the France > UK leg. So we use Seafrance/Norfolklines to do the UK > France leg (no charge) and LD Lines/P&O for France > UK and then it's only 15 pounds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Madmaggott Posted February 18, 2011 Share Posted February 18, 2011 Could one of the experienced travellers tell me how much extra time I need to allow for check-in at Calais Eurotunnel, for the dog to be checked in?Also, my dog is a horror for taking tablets. If crushed she just won't touch it and disguised whole in cheese or meat she eats the food then spits out the tablet! Is there any way around this problem? I have visions of chasing her around the french vet's surgery trying to force tabs down her throat. Is it possible to inject the wormer? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest pelmetman Posted February 18, 2011 Share Posted February 18, 2011 We bought Troy back via Eurotunnel last month and we were in and out in five minutes. Of course it all depends how many are in the queue but on previous occasion it was still no more than 10 minutes. Sue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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