# Pets Rabies booster



## chrisdougie (Apr 1, 2009)

Can anyone give me some info on rabies booster we got our pets passport last year he Got his rabies injection 14/01/11 do we need to get his booster done before 14/01/12 or does it last 2 years as our vets say if we are going to France it needs to be done every year also do we need to get the blood test done again 

Thanks
Christine & Dougie


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## Rosbotham (May 4, 2008)

It's the stamp in the passport that matters. Whatever date is on that. Whilst most people on here seem to have 2 yrs, my vet always stamps at 1yr. Not worth falling out with vet about it, I go along with what he says.

No need for a blood test (indeed if your dog was having 1st rabies jab now, they wouldn't need a blood test for EU).


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## ardgour (Mar 22, 2008)

The regulations changed January 2012 so there is not such a problem if your rabies vaccine goes over the booster date - the rules now are that the pet cannot leave the country till 3 weeks after vaccination but no blood tests necessary.

Chris


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## Spacerunner (Mar 18, 2006)

Length of time between boosters depends on jab manufacturer. Some go as long as 3years. Only if your dog is a permanent resident in, for instance, France does the booster have to be done annually no matter what the maker 
recommends.


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

Ours was a three year vaccine and we have never had a problem in and out of France, is that what you are saying Spacerunner?

Under the new Regs, if we took Shadow to a non EU country what are the regulations on re-entering Britain?

Aldra


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## Patty123 (Oct 4, 2010)

Our Betty had the 3 year vaccine, as stated above it depends on the manufacturer as to how long it lasts, and your vet will put the booster renewal date in the passport, whether you are going to France or any other EU country the passport is valid provided the booster date hasn't expired.

Patty


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## patp (Apr 30, 2007)

Your vet is only right if you are staying in France for longer than six months.
If not you are fine to follow the manufacturers recommendation. Nobivac Rabies Vaccine lasts for 3 years. I would not let my vet give any other as I don't want my dog having any more vaccinations than is strictly necessary.

As to going to a non EU country with your dog - as I understand it your dog must have passed the blood test taken at least one month after vaccination.
If that is so then, once 3 months have expired from the vaccination, you can return to the uk.


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## zulurita (May 9, 2005)

chrisdougie said:


> Can anyone give me some info on rabies booster we got our pets passport last year he Got his rabies injection 14/01/11 do we need to get his booster done before 14/01/12 or does it last 2 years as our vets say if we are going to France it needs to be done every year also do we need to get the blood test done again
> 
> Thanks
> Christine & Dougie


What does the validity date state in your Pets Passport?

As already stated some are valid for 2 years some for 3 years. Not sure any in the UK are for 1 year only now.

The date should be what ever the manufacturer of the Rabies Vaccine states.

The vet is incorrect if he says it lasts for a year only if the manufacturers date states 2 or 3 years.

You only need to do it yearly in France if you stay in France for 3 months or longer. Then the pet is considered as resident and needs a yearly Rabies vaccine. The same would apply for any EU country.

When doing the booster vaccine it is necessary to do it at least the day before the expiry date. eg in your case by 13th. Otherwise the procedure starts again.

However as the rules have now relaxed and a blood test is no longer required it does mean there is only a 3 week waiting period instead of the 6 months.

Personally we will keep our dogs Rabies vaccine up to date.


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

That is what is confusing me, Shadow will be due a booster this year does that involve a bloodtest?

Is that the test that needs to be done one month after the booster?

Or do we arrange a blood test one month after to allow us to travel out of the EU zone

Confused

Aldra


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## peedee (May 10, 2005)

aldra said:


> Ours was a three year vaccine and we have never had a problem in and out of France, is that what you are saying Spacerunner?
> 
> Under the new Regs, if we took Shadow to a non EU country what are the regulations on re-entering Britain?
> 
> Aldra


Same here Aldra. Re the non EU countries, I don't think there have been any changes. For the passport to be valid they have to be on a non EU approved list which you should be able to find on the DEFRA web site. If the country is not on the approved list e.g Morocco think the dog has to go into quarantine.

peedee


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## peedee (May 10, 2005)

peedee said:


> Re the non EU countries, I don't think there have been any changes. For the passport to be valid they have to be on a non EU approved list which you should be able to find on the DEFRA web site. If the country is not on the approved list e.g Morocco think the dog has to go into quarantine.
> 
> peedee


I was wrong its all change by the look of it. See >here<

Looks like as long as you have a pet passport you can re-enter with your dog from any country.

peedee


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## zulurita (May 9, 2005)

aldra said:


> That is what is confusing me, Shadow will be due a booster this year does that involve a bloodtest?
> 
> Is that the test that needs to be done one month after the booster?
> 
> ...


No Aldra,

As Shadow has his pets passport its just a case of having the rabies booster before the expiry date. It will then be entered into the pets passport showing the new validity date.

NO Blood test needed.

As for travelling out of the EU then give Defra a ring or email them for confirmation of what is needed. They will reply.


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## patp (Apr 30, 2007)

My understanding of the "out of Europe" rules are that the dog must, at some stage, have had a blood test 30 days, or more, after a Rabies vaccination has been given.


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

But is that the booster ?

I'm lost, If I take him to Israel can I get him back????

Aldra


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## patp (Apr 30, 2007)

They will look at his passport and want to see that he has been vaccinated against rabies and that all the boosters have been given on time.
They will then look to see if he has ever been blood tested and passed it. If he passed the blood test, was that taken 21 days (as some were) or 30 days after he was vaccinated?

It is just to bring us in line with Europe which is the rule there. In Europe, now, they are happy to just accept that the vaccination has been given. If the dog comes from outside Europe, however, they want a blood test to have been taken to confirm that the vaccine was effective.

If, like many, his first vaccination was followed by a blood test less than 30 days later then he will have to be blood tested again. I am thinking that the blood test can be taken 100 or more days after the booster because no maximum has been given, but not before 30.

There may be some evidence that some dogs will test positive at 21 days only for it to fade by 30 days for some reason. My dog failed her first blood test, at 21 days, and so was blood tested again a few weeks later so she will be ok as, technically, she has passed a blood test taken 30 days or more after a vaccination.


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## thieawin (Jun 7, 2006)

If you are travelling between UK and any EU country or any country listed here (or vice versa) 
http://www.defra.gov.uk/wildlife-pets/pets/travel/pets/countries/noneu-countries/ 
your dog, cat or ferret must have been chipped and had a rabies injection which is in date. If it is a first injection you cannot enter any country within 21 days of the injection. If it is a booster there is no lower time limit, unless the booster is out of time, in which case you have to start again.

There is no need for a blood test to see if there are rabies antibodies.

Note that this now applies to UK/Ireland travel in theory, which it did not do before 01 01 2012, but the authorities are relaxed as there has been no rabies in either country for many years and they will probably not want to see the passport or scan your pets chip.

There are no restrictions or requirement for chips, passports or injections or tapeworm treatment still between UK and IOM & CI (which are not in the EU, and not listed)

As far as entry into the EU (including the UK) from anywhere else, ie non EU or non listed, the rules are here
http://www.defra.gov.uk/wildlife-pets/pets/travel/pets/pet-owners/
Your pet has to have had a blood test at least 30 days after the first rabies treatment is completed. Remember some treatmesnt consist of two shots, so it is the date of the second shot, also remember the rabies shot(s) must be afer chipping, you then have to wait 3 months. However if you went from an EU/listed country into an unlisted country and your pet has had the chip, and the ravbies shots and a positive test result you do not have to wait 3 months after the positive test result to re enter the EU/UK

In all cases your pet has to have had tapeworm treatment between 24 hours and 5 days before arrival, except for direct travel, ie with no intermediate stop off or passing through another country, between Finland, Malta, Ireland and UK

If you take your pet outside the EU and listed countries your pet needs a rabies antibody blood test with positive result taken at least 30 days after rabies treatment is completed to re-enter the EU (including UK). That test can take place at any time during the validity of the current rabies treatment, ie within 1, 2 or 3 years.

My reading of this is that in effect quarantine for dogs, cats and ferrets is abolished, it is going to be cheaper to chip, treat, get blood test and wait 3 months than go through 6 months quarantine

There are lots of wonderful exceptions, the rules for pets from the USA are different for pets from Hawai (it is non listed) and cats from Australia get special treatment. You cannot travel with more than 5 pets.


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