Rabies booster-how often?

[Bongtrees]

To keep my dogs passport valid it has an annual rabies booster, I read somewhere else that theirs is every 3 years.

Is this usual?

[Enrique]

Hi Bongtrees,
English vets giving the booster put a two year Validation in the Pets Passport. Here in Spain it's one year.
Not heard of any three year validation.
See they are testing a one off jab that will last the dog its whole life.

Added: The only mention of three year validation is on USA sites.

[crazyred]

The Rabies jab confers immunity for 3 years but, yearly jabs are usually still insisted on. In the USA you can do Titer testing, which is a blood test to check the levels of Rabies antibodies and then you only need to jab when these levels dip (which can vary from animal to animal) and is better for the animal as not so many chemicals are going into their systems.

[murbisa]

Enrique - my puppy came over from the UK with a pet passport in May 2009. Says next rabies due 2012 so they must be doing 3 year ones in the UK. We conform with Spain and do them annually as I don't want any problems if we have to take them back to the UK at any time.

[Enrique]

Hi murbisa,
Sounds like they keep changing the rules.
I was over last November and had to get one of mine done with a Booster, and it was then two years validation.
A bit of a grey area But as UK is the only country to look at the Pets Passport and if your validation is until 2012 then you should be good to go.
My vet here says to have them annually .

[Bongtrees]

3 things now come to mind.

Are dogs in spain required to have an annual rabies shot?

Different vaccine manufacturers have different booster date requirements?

People at border control dont know the system looking only at the vets stamps etc.
Know this is definitely the case from my own experience where my vet obtained blood test results and it was only after advice from here did we realise that they had never previously sent blood to accredited lab in Spain or abroad. She still boasts that all the previous clients go to and fro with their dogs and have never been challenged.

[Enrique]

H Bongtrees,
You're right.
As it says on page 10/36 of the pet Passport about the approved lab, the page only has the vets stamp and signature, so the Border Control will look and see its ok, and with all the other bits up to date you're in.

Has anyone had to show the Pet Passport coming into Spain /France

[murbisa]

When we brought the two pugs over we were not asked for any documentation in Uk or France. Came through the tunnel. Have got darkenend windows in back of Montero so I don't think they even knew they were there. Travelled over the border into Spain and didn't see a soul.
Now what I would like to know is the rules for taking dogs from Spain into Gib. Haven't managed a shopping trip since we had the puppy as I need to crate him when we go out. He is very good but I am always afraid he will get bored and chew the elec cables. So many of them with this wireless internet!!
If they have a pet passport is that ok. Do they need to have tick treatment like going back to UK?
Peachy might know the answer to this??
nybody taken a dog into Gib???

Muriel

[Enrique]

Hi,
The info out there is, providing the Pet Passport is up to date then you can take your dog into Gibraltar.
No need to see vet like if you where going to UK.
There is a Gib Vets number 350 77334 if you want to get current info.
Anybody done it recently
Where's Peachy when you want her

[murbisa]

Thanks Enrique - I should imagine once you are in there will be no problem with the Spanish letting you out?
We will give it a go

[crazyred]

Just your pet passport is fine to get into Gib although, TBH I've never seen anyone show any documents when they've taken dogs across.

[murbisa]

Thanks Crazyred - I suppose if we were going to hit a problem it would be on the way in and not on the way out!! Morrisons here we come

[princess peach]

I used to walk my dog thru the Gib border,and the only problem i ever had was, if he did a number 2 right near the guardia I held the dogs passport up along with my own when going thru and never had a problem.
If you are going thru via car,they might look to see if the dog is secure in the car..but apart from that..no worries at all.

[murbisa]

That's great news Peachy - Yes we will be in the car and they will be secure in their big crate in the back - so no worries.
We popped in to one of the "English" shops yesterday to get some squash and couldn't believe the price of things. A mark up of more than double the original price!! How can they justify it? But that is another subject.

[masterob]

Has anyone had to show the Pet Passport coming into Spain /France

As rabies is endemic in Mainland Europe but not in the UK and Ireland, I guess it is more important to keep it out of the UK and Ireland than the other way around.

Apparently in Spain it´s found mostly in bats.