# pet re-vaccination



## owl459 (Jul 27, 2007)

Hi All, Can anyone tell me what is required when the rabies vaccination is due for renewal. e.g. does there have to be a blood test taken afterwards ,as when first done ? My small dog Molly's vaccination expires in a few months and her leg was quite a mess after the blood test. The vet said he'd had trouble finding a vein. Thanks for any help. doug.


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## zulurita (May 9, 2005)

No Doug the dog doesn't need another blood test.

Just make sure you book a vets appointment BEFORE the anti rabies vaccination expires.

If you leave it until the day it expires it is TOO LATE and the whole process has to be started again.

1. When you make an appointment state it is for the Anti-Rabies vaccination and for the Pets Passport.

2. Make sure the vet on duty/doing the anti rabies vaccination is allowed to do it and allowed to fill in the Pets Passport and stamp it.

3. Once done make sure the entry is filled in correctly and has the vets name, signature and vets stamp, dated etc.


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## rayhook (May 15, 2005)

*Pets*

Doug,

I would like to just add something to what Rita has said above. The re-vaccination requirement varies from country to country - in the UK it's every 3 years so don't expect your vet to contact you every year - not all vets in the UK understand the rules on the mainland. (A few more enlightened ones do).

If you're travelling to France, Spain etc. then you need to make sure you have the dog re-vaccinated annually. And don't forget about sand flies - they're potentially lethal.

Ray


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## zulurita (May 9, 2005)

Doug,

Whilst Ray is correct that other countries eg: Spain, France require RESIDENTS in their country to have an ANNUAL vaccination.

It IS NOT a requirement for a UK Pets Passport holder to have the pet vaccinated annually.

If you and the pet are in the country less than 3 months then the VALIDITY DATE in the Pets Passport is the one you adhere to. This is per DEFRA and I had that in writing please see my STICKY in Pets section.

HOWEVER if you plan to be in say France for 3 months or more then you DO need to stick to the rules for French residents i.e annual anti rabies vaccinations.

If though you are travelling in Europe and you spend say a month in France and then move onto Spain and spend less than 3 months there and then go back into France then you are still ok as you went out of the country and then re entered.

At the Ports/Tunnel etc the Pets Passport is checked and it is the validity date in the passport that is checked for re-entry into the UK.

I hope that is clearer for you.


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## rayhook (May 15, 2005)

*Simple? Who said it was simple?*

Rita,

Nice one. The easy way to short circuit all this is, is of course, to have the dog re-vaccinated annually. Hey, that's more money (but a lot less if you get it done in say, Spain). And we're also talking about what's best for your dog here. If the Spanish, French and whoever think dogs resident in their countries should be protected by an annual re-vaccination why wouldn't ones from the UK? It's a question of the perceived risk in the country you're visiting - and the 'marker' is surely the rules that apply to 'local' dogs.

Can't anyone invent a set of rules that's easy to understand? OK, daft question, this is Government we're talking about!

Ray


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## zulurita (May 9, 2005)

It is the manufacturers of the anti rabies vaccination that have increased the validity from 12 months to 2 years and now 3 years.

I'm sure if it wasn't safe to do so then they would have left the expiry at 12 months. I am sure the UK would want what was safe as the UK certainly doesn't want Rabies in the country and have taken years before allow a Pets Passport scheme.

I of course want what is best for my dog. However I also do not want to over dose the dog on chemicals if unnecessary.

I guess it is a debate that could go on but I will be sticking to the Validity date.


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## rayhook (May 15, 2005)

*Sand flies*

I've mentioned this before, but we all get carried away worrying about rabies because we _have _to comply with the rules and get passports stamped etc.

What we don't seem to pay anywhere near enough attention to are sand flies - presumably because there's no compulsion to do anything. Just sit back watch your dog expire! You'll even save the £30 to bring it back thru' the Tunnel.............

Would anyone going to the hotter places please, please read up on sand flies and their potentially lethal effect. 

Rita - any comments or advice? You're much better at this than me.

Ray


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## zulurita (May 9, 2005)

Yes Ray I agree,

Sandflies are a real danger.

We buy Advantix when going south, we bought the collar for Leishmaniasis and there is also Stronghold for heart worm.

It is good to ask the vet for advice and do some research. We also went to a vet in Benicassim when we went for the winter some years ago and asked their advice re diseases in Spain.

It would be very distressing for a pet to get a disease if we could try and prevent it.

So far our Springer has been fine. The collar needs to be worn prior to going into an area where it is required.


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## owl459 (Jul 27, 2007)

*Pet re-vaccination*

Many thanks to all for the info and help. Now just worrying about the other dangers. Heading to Northern & Western France in May.


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## zulurita (May 9, 2005)

*Re: Pet re-vaccination*



owl459 said:


> Many thanks to all for the info and help. Now just worrying about the other dangers. Heading to Northern & Western France in May.


You should be fine in Northern and Western France. Just make sure you have used Tick treatment, we prefer Advantix as that stops the ticks attaching in the first place. Frontline doesn't.

Look out for the processionary caterpillars as they are travelling further north now. Usually see their nests in pine trees.

If you do see these processionary caterpillars on the ground don't let your dog go anywhere near them, could be fatal. Don't touch them yourself either as can get a nasty reaction.

Other than that ENJOY your trip


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## locovan (Oct 17, 2007)

zulurita said:


> It is the manufacturers of the anti rabies vaccination that have increased the validity from 12 months to 2 years and now 3 years.
> 
> I'm sure if it wasn't safe to do so then they would have left the expiry at 12 months. I am sure the UK would want what was safe as the UK certainly doesn't want Rabies in the country and have taken years before allow a Pets Passport scheme.
> 
> ...


Infact I have been reading that booster vaccinations should all be 3 years after we have given the dog the 3 month puppy vaccine and then 1 year booster. The vaccines have been so improved over the years.

As for the Rabies vaccine I go by the dates on the Passport and that is every three years.
Rita all your advice has been very good.


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## rayhook (May 15, 2005)

*Look behind you!*

Rita,

Thanks. I have a suspicion that while we're all congratulating ourselves on the rabies bit (whatever dosage is involved) the real danger is the sand flies (for the uninitiated, nothing to do with sand!). More a case of lack of awareness than folks not doing their best to look after their dog. If there was a 'vaccine' that was compulsory i.e. passport stamping all that, then everyone would suddenly become interested.

Hi, ho. We're off in 3 weeks and 2 days, France, Spain, Portugal etc. - how you doin' this year?

Ray


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## zulurita (May 9, 2005)

Have a great trip Ray.

What are you currently using against Sandflies? We haven't been to Spain or Portugal lately.

However come winter we might feel the need :wink: 

Hoping to do some of Scandinavia this year.


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## rayhook (May 15, 2005)

*The full Monty*

Rita,

For Spike we use the following:

1. Drontal - worms
2. Frontline - fleas/ticks
3. Stronghold - mozzies
4. Scalibur collar - ticks & sand flies
5. Keep the little blighter inside in the evenings where it's hot - sand flies!

Given that Cordoba and Jerez are major targets for this spring, the Scalibur collar is especially important. Patrick P reckons the collar overlaps with the Frontline (that he applies for our return) and I can understand that if we were only in France; however, our forays much further South bring those pesky sand flies into play.

It was Patrick who started all the annual re-vaccination bit with us as he says the law has recently changed in France i.e. now annual. However, I don't think this takes into account the '3 month rule'.

Keep on truckin'

Ray


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## zulurita (May 9, 2005)

Ray,

Have a look at this and see what you think:

http://www.bayeranimal.com.au/default.aspx?Page=50&ItemId=14

We buy this when in France as it covers Sandflies, Mozzies etc.

When we saw Patrick in October he never mentioned annual vaccinations to us. He did say he thought the frontline and drontal treatment might be changing ? what he meant.

Anyway when I was searching on DEFRA's site whatever changes the EU were hoping the UK might do will not happen for another year or two as the UK were given an extension until ? 2011 or 2012.


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## rayhook (May 15, 2005)

*The old routine*

Rita,

We've looked at this before but have chosen to stick with what we know. The info from Patrick was on 29th September for our 1st October return; we shall see him once more at the end of June and I'll ask him about it again. We're going to call in to book our return appointment on the way out (mid-April) and if he happens to be there then I'll see what I can find out.

I have in the back of mind that we saw something new last year, possibly a Frontline variant, but can't quite put my finger on it. I'll chat it over with Amanda and see if she remembers. Age, memory, now where was I?

Regards,

Ray


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## rayhook (May 15, 2005)

*Sand flies*

Rita,

Amanda & I have thought about this and.........

Amanda considered Advantix but it didn't fit in with our existing 'cycle' of treatments which has served us well so far. She decided to keep it on a back burner.

Last year we also came across Frontline Plus which is a slightly different product to vanilla Frontline (contains even more chemicals) but again, we decided we're happy with how things are.

Best wishes,

Ray


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## zulurita (May 9, 2005)

Thanks Ray,

As you say its best to stick with what you know.

We have used Frontline Plus in the past.

Now we tend to use Advantix which covers Ticks, mozzies, sandflies etc.

So using Advantix we don't need the collar & Stronghold. Frontline wasn't very effective last year (so we were told) and vets at our surgery were using other makes.

As Advantix prevented ticks adhering in the first place we went for that plus it covered a lot more things, a bit like Frontline Plus but even more than that.

So for us it is Advantix, Drontal. We were using Frontline at the vets to comply with re-entry into UK. However as I contacted DEFRA via email to mention that Vets in UK were saying Frontline wasn't very effective what were their comments regarding this.

Their reply was, that so long as the product was licensed for Tick treatment then it was ok. All very iffy I feel, it would be better if DEFRA published a list of suitable and allowed products that met the re-entry into UK requirements.

Anyway have a great trip, enjoy.


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