Interesting conversation with vet Re no deal Brexit plans

[Southdowners]

We've decided to get our hound blood tested as we wish to travel in Europe in May, We don't want to run the risk of no deal meaning we need to get the blood titre test with its associated 3 month wait as it would mean changing our travel plans if we leave it much longer.

Anyway, in the course of our conversation it came up that, despite having rabies vaccinations up to date, as many as one in ten dogs fail the titre test and have to recommence their rabies vaccinations. This would mean an even greater delay.

Our dog was given his booster at the end of last year so I assumed he'd automatically be OK... obviously he may not

I also asked why there is a 3 month wait after the blood test... they didn't know!

Anyway, I thought this might be of interest to folks in a similar situation to us.

 

[Figaro]

I think a Brexit deal will be done at 1159 on 29 march
Same as you though, considering the blood test etc again, just in case.

 

[Chas17]

I had a similar experience a couple of weeks ago as I may want to travel in April. Titre test was four times required level but no answer to the why three months wait.

 

[Casper46]

I understand from our Vet that as Casper had a blood test after he had his first Rabies injection 8 years ago, and I have his original passport with the results of his test, and proof of his regular boosters without any missed, then we do not need to do anything else. I hope they are correct, but having to spoken to two vets neither of them really know.

 

[Tykatem]

I had a similar experience a couple of weeks ago as I may want to travel in April. Titre test was four times required level but no answer to the why three months wait.

By having your dogs titre tested it will give you the added bonus of being able to travel with them to the likes of Serbia, Turkey & Albania and will only require doing once, so long as you keep their rabies boosters up todate.

Pete

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[LesW]

Our vet said much the same about our cat.

The three month wait confused me though, if you went away a week after the blood test results, and came back three months later is that OK?

It's only inward bound that gets checked.

 

[sdc77]

We just gave up and cancelled a June trip to Europe. Once everything's sorted we'll resume travel with them.
They don't care so long as they get out in the van

 

[Tykatem]

Our vet said much the same about our cat.

The three month wait confused me though, if you went away a week after the blood test results, and came back three months later is that OK?

It's only inward bound that gets checked.

They only get checked on entering the UK for now, as we are still members of the EU. However if we do leave without a deal, then the EU will no doubt be checking.

Pete

 

[DBK]

We had our dog given his re-vaccination early for just this reason. This was in December and he had the blood test sample taken in January. Just visited the vets this morning to get his passport signed with the result. I've also got a copy of the test result letter just in case it is asked for.

The pass reading is 0.5 IU/ml and Charlie was 2.6 so well above this. Cost for the blood test was £82.

 

[DBK]

Deleted post.

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[Cheshirecat57]

I think a Brexit deal will be done at 1159 on 29 march
Same as you though, considering the blood test etc again, just in case.

FYI that's 59 minutes too late
We exit at 11.00pm which is midnight in Brussels
Still dancing to their tune right up to the end....

 

[Tykatem]

We had our dog given his re-vaccination early for just this reason. This was in December and he had the blood test sample taken in January. Just visited the vets this morning to get his passport signed with the result. I've also got a copy of the test result letter just in case it is asked for.

The test result letter/certificate is the important document if we do leave without a deal. as pet passports issued in the UK would not be valid for travel to the EU.

Pete

 

[Southdowners]

I understand from our Vet that as Casper had a blood test after he had his first Rabies injection 8 years ago, and I have his original passport with the results of his test, and proof of his regular boosters without any missed, then we do not need to do anything else. I hope they are correct, but having to spoken to two vets neither of them really know.

We have the same situation as you. Our dog was vaccinated against rabies, had all his boosters, etc but it appears that this won't be enough in the event of a no deal.

According to the gov uk website in the event of no deal pets will have to have an additional blood test. As long as the vaccinations are kept up to date this is only necessary once. Subsequent trips won't require another test but will require a health certificate prior to each trip.



Quote from the uk gov website....

The rules for taking your pet to any EU country will change if the UK leaves the EU with no deal and is treated as an unlisted country.

You must get your dog, cat or ferret microchipped and then vaccinated against rabies before it can travel.

However, to allow effective contingency planning in the worst case scenario of the UK not being granted third country status, you’ll need to take the following steps to make sure your pet can travel after 29 March 2019:

1. You must get your dog, cat or ferret microchipped and then vaccinated against rabies before it can travel. Your pet must have a blood sample taken at least 30 days after the rabies vaccination. You’ll need to talk to your vet about whether you need a rabies vaccination or booster before this test.
2. Your vet must send the blood sample to an .
3. The results of the blood test must show that the vaccination was successful (Your pet must have a rabies antibody level of at least 0.5 IU/ml).
4. You must wait 3 months from the date the successful blood sample was taken before you travel.
5. You must take your pet to a Official Veterinarian (OV), no more than 10 days before travel to get a health certificate.

If there’s no deal, pet passports issued in the UK would not be valid for travel to the EU.

 

[DBK]

The test result letter/certificate is the important document if we do leave without a deal. as pet passports issued in the UK would not be valid for travel to the EU.

Pete

The passport scheme may be invalid but the signed page by the vet about the titre test result may still count. There seems to be a lack of guidance on what proof is required. I may go back and get the vet to countersign and stamp the letter.

The passport is also where the rabies vaccination is recorded.

Also the format of the letter about fit to travel is a mystery to me. The passport has pages set aside for this. Another thing to ask the vet!

 

[7735]

Our dog ,who is a rescue came from Portugal and has a Portuguese pet passport. How do we stand with that ? We have only had her since last July and have not taken her to the EU yet but hope to go sometime this year.

Spongy

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[Tykatem]

The passport scheme may be invalid but the signed page by the vet about the titre test result may still count. There seems to be a lack of guidance on what proof is required. I may go back and get the vet to countersign and stamp the letter.

The passport is also where the rabies vaccination is recorded.

Also the format of the letter about fit to travel is a mystery to me. The passport has pages set aside for this. Another thing to ask the vet!

I concur with what you say John. I also think you'll need the pet passport to record having had its tapeworm treatment prior to entering the UK.

Pete

 

[rb62]

I concur with what you say John. I also think you'll need the pet passport to record having had its tapeworm treatment prior to entering the UK.

Pete

Best to be covered for all eventualities

 

[Casper46]

The test result letter/certificate is the important document if we do leave without a deal. as pet passports issued in the UK would not be valid for travel to the EU.

Pete

If you are correct are we going to queue up each time we travel to get a French/Spanishor whichever country we are going to

The passport scheme may be invalid but the signed page by the vet about the titre test result may still count. There seems to be a lack of guidance on what proof is required. I may go back and get the vet to countersign and stamp the letter.

The passport is also where the rabies vaccination is recorded.

Also the format of the letter about fit to travel is a mystery to me. The passport has pages set aside for this. Another thing to ask the vet!

Our French vet always fills in the fit to travel pages and when they run out she gives us a printed letter stating that Casper is fit.
I am finding it difficult to get proper advice. We have just changed vets in the U.K. Our original vet seemed to know very little about what needed to be done. Our new Vet thinks that the original blood test and declaration will do. DEFRA seems to think that ' one size fits all', and tells us to talk to our vet!!!

 

[Mrsambulancekidd]

Our dog was given his booster at the end of last year so I assumed he'd automatically be OK... obviously he may not

It doesn't affect us as we don't travel abroad with our pets, but does this mean the vac is not necessarily as effective as it should be.....just call me confused.com.

 

[Casper46]

We have the same situation as you. Our dog was vaccinated against rabies, had all his boosters, etc but it appears that this won't be enough in the event of a no deal.

According to the gov uk website in the event of no deal pets will have to have an additional blood test. As long as the vaccinations are kept up to date this is only necessary once. Subsequent trips won't require another test but will require a health certificate prior to each trip.



Quote from the uk gov website....

The rules for taking your pet to any EU country will change if the UK leaves the EU with no deal and is treated as an unlisted country.

You must get your dog, cat or ferret microchipped and then vaccinated against rabies before it can travel.

However, to allow effective contingency planning in the worst case scenario of the UK not being granted third country status, you’ll need to take the following steps to make sure your pet can travel after 29 March 2019:

1. You must get your dog, cat or ferret microchipped and then vaccinated against rabies before it can travel. Your pet must have a blood sample taken at least 30 days after the rabies vaccination. You’ll need to talk to your vet about whether you need a rabies vaccination or booster before this test.
2. Your vet must send the blood sample to an .
3. The results of the blood test must show that the vaccination was successful (Your pet must have a rabies antibody level of at least 0.5 IU/ml).
4. You must wait 3 months from the date the successful blood sample was taken before you travel.
5. You must take your pet to a Official Veterinarian (OV), no more than 10 days before travel to get a health certificate.

If there’s no deal, pet passports issued in the UK would not be valid for travel to the EU.

I have just had another conversation with DEFRA. The lady said that if we had proof of Casper’s original blood test and a record of continuous vaccinations , then that would be all we need. There does seem to be a discrepancy with the length of time between his original vaccination and the date of his blood test, they seem to have moved the goalposts a little in the past 8 years. I am really tempted to ask our French vet to arrange a French passport for him.

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[Southdowners]

It doesn't affect us as we don't travel abroad with our pets, but does this mean the vac is not necessarily as effective as it should be.....just call me confused.com.

I know... 1 dog out of every ten tested is a high 'failure' rate of the vaccine. I was surprised. I assumed our dog would be fine having always had his boosters within date. Oh well, fingers crossed!

 

[Southdowners]

I have just had another conversation with DEFRA. The lady said that if we had proof of Casper’s original blood test and a record of continuous vaccinations , then that would be all we need. There does seem to be a discrepancy with the length of time between his original vaccination and the date of his blood test, they seem to have moved the goalposts a little in the past 8 years. I am really tempted to ask our French vet to arrange a French passport for him.

Really! That seems to go against what the uk gov website advises. I'm getting more and more confused.

I hate subjecting my dog to procedures/drugs he doesn't need but I don't want to be stuck in the UK. What is everyone else doing, if anything?

 

[Southdowners]

Our vet said much the same about our cat.

The three month wait confused me though, if you went away a week after the blood test results, and came back three months later is that OK?

It's only inward bound that gets checked.

That's a good point. However, I wonder if the health certificate would be conditional on the 3 mth wait?

 

[DBK]

I have just had another conversation with DEFRA. The lady said that if we had proof of Casper’s original blood test and a record of continuous vaccinations , then that would be all we need. There does seem to be a discrepancy with the length of time between his original vaccination and the date of his blood test, they seem to have moved the goalposts a little in the past 8 years. I am really tempted to ask our French vet to arrange a French passport for him.

I think you may be confusing two things. If the vaccine lasts three years but you had the blood test done after say two and a half years then there seems to be a risk the dog will fail the blood test as the antibodies may be too few. The rabies vaccine would still be in date and under the passport scheme you would be able to travel but failing the blood test (if required) means another vaccination and then a one month gap before the test could be repeated. This is why it seems sensible if the dog has not been recently vaccinated to have it done again prior to the blood test. As always speak to the vet but this is what ours recommended. What is the definition of "recent"? I've no idea but as a guess anything within the last year or so perhaps. As the blood test is the more expensive of the two treatments (our rabies booster was £32) caution suggests being safe and getting the vaccination.

I don't see what difference a French passport would have over a UK one as the entry requirements for the EU will be the same - a successful blood test and the fit to travel check.

 

[maison]

We checked with our Vet yesterday who said they had no idea, as yet, what will be required.

They have had no information or advice from DEFRA and are, for the time being, “carrying on as normal”.

They hope to have more guidance in two to three weeks.

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[keithchesterfield2]

Pack the sun cream --

 

[Tykatem]

What is everyone else doing, if anything?

To avoid being caught out by Brexit, we're off to Greece in May, so as a precaution we had our 2 standard Poodles rabies innoculations (brought forward from Aug) done at the beginning of Jan. We'll then take them to the vets (30 days after rabies jabs) to give blood samples (titre test) and sent away for testing. Then after 3 months and anti bodies permitting, another trip to the vets 10 days before travelling for them to issue official veterinary certificates. They'll be then cleared for travel to Europe. You must arrive in an EU country within 10 days of the date the certificate was issued. You can then use it for up to 4 months for travel within the EU.
Having them titre tested will also mean that we can travel back via Serbia.

Pete

 

[Casper46]

As LesW says, it has always been 3 months before you could travel back into UK, not 3 months before you could leave. Our thoughts on a French passport for Casper is that we could have it done now, travel home before the end of March, then back to France on a French passport after 3 months.
As we have used the same vet in France for 20 years, she may exchange the details without another blood test. But that’s wishful thinking.

 

[gus-lopez]

It doesn't affect us as we don't travel abroad with our pets, but does this mean the vac is not necessarily as effective as it should be.....just call me confused.com.

It might be why the spanish insist on the rabies being done yearly?

I don't see what difference a French passport would have over a UK one as the entry requirements for the EU will be the same - a successful blood test and the fit to travel check.

Because according to my information as long as my dogs spanish passport is filled in with the result of the blood test he does no need a "fit to travel" for the EU as he is going home ?
In all honesty the whole lot is a shambles.
As for derfa ,they haven't a clue.I'm sure they make it up.
When we moved here I listened to them& exported my dogs from myself in the UK to myself in the EU ,Had to have a fitness certificate for each done within 10 days of travel & when I aske d what happened if I had a problem & was over the 10 days the reply was " Oh , don't worry no one will ever look at them /ask for them /or even know you actually have/need them "
£350 down the drain 17 years ago.