question about the timing of the 998 certificate

I'm taking my pets in to the vet tomorrow for their microchips, rabies and (god willing) blood draw (they're up to date on rabies, so should be okay).  I know I should be able to figure this out on my own, but when does the 998 form get filled out?  I know it can't be endorsed by the USDA until six months after the blood draw, and not more than four months before you leave, but does this mean that the vet should fill it out then?  Or should I bring it with me tomorrow and make sure that the vet fills it out the beginning parts then?  Also, if the microchip and rabies are done on the same day, should the times be noted on 998 form?

I am sooo nervous about this visit.  The receptionist actually laughed (in despair?) when I told her I wanted to make an appointment to get my guys ready for a move to the UK.

I had my rabies titre done in Feb - the level was good. I got my vet to fill out the paperwork in Sept to send to the USDA (i'm flying next week and thought that i'd be organised and do the 4 month rule). The USDA sent it back to my vet as they said that they can only authorise it 10 days before travel and the vet shouldn't date it ahead of 10 days. (Luckily my vet didn't date the form so i'm off to the USDA on Monday for the 2nd attempt - not risking the mail option this time!!!) Other people have done it ahead of time so i don't know if this is a New Jersey rule???

 So i have vet appt and USDA appt on Monday, then faxing the forms to Pet on Jets in Manchester for their approval and then the tick treatment next Sat - fingers crossed flying Sunday...... Its been a year long complicated process!!!

My experience is that the 998 certificate is only valid for 4 months, however, most USDA vets are familiar with the APHIS 7001 form, which is the international health certificate for export/import that the US government uses.  This document is only valid 10 days or less before traveling, therefore I believe that the USDA sometimes (depends on which office you work with) applies this standard (10 days before travel) to the 998 form as well.  Your airline may require both the APHIS 7001 and the 998 to accept your pet (In my experience, Continental did).

The USDA office I went through (in Annapolis, MD - district office for MD, DC, and VA) also used the individual id number on the APHIS 7001 form to fill out the "number" section of the EU 998 form (up top - says something about certifying official number or something, I don't have it in front of me).  Therefore, they wouldn't complete the 998 until I was within 10 days of traveling, so that they could fill out the APHIS 7001 and use that forms' id number to complete that field.  Again, this can vary by USDA office.

One note - the first official vet section is your vet - ensure that they complete that section when appropriate.  The USDA vet only fills out the competent authority section (I made this error with my own paperwork, thinking that the USDA vet was both the official vet and the competent authority.)