USDA Vet -

hi -
 just getting everything together. and i'm a little confused...
my vet (who did the microchip and vaccine) told me to go to this other vet to do the blood work and sending off to Kansas bit because he is USDA certified and can sign the 998 and i wont have to keep going back and forth between vets..
so this USDA vet did the blood work and sent it out.. NOW
my dog has the vet appointment to get the 998 signed next month..

this is possible right.... i dont have to send it into the USDA office.. can I just get this vet sign it?

does this make sense?

Two things.  First, your timeline seems too short.  There's the 6 month wait from the date of a good rabies titer (the blood test).  The 998 form, once filled out by a USDA-approved vet and signed and stamped by the USDA (the official USDA vet for your state) is only good for 4 months from the date signed.

Unless I'm misunderstanding you, it seems like you should wait at least 2-3 months from the date of the rabies titer before having the paperwork done and stamped, because otherwise, it'll expire before your pet can be transported.

As for the different vets, there's the USDA-approved vet who does the blood tests and fills out the paperwork and then there's the official USDA vet for your state who stamps/certifies the paperwork that was filled out by the USDA-approved vet.

It's confusing, but they're not all the same person.

oh no.. ha.
the blood work was done and i got the paperwork back at the beginning of Nov.

she isnt going over until May.

but i have to leave in March and Waylon (my dog) is staying with friends until May -
so i'm just getting the USDA stuff done at the end of Feb.. so I dont have to worry about it when I come back for her in May.

so all the timing will be fine (with a month and some to spare)
but thanks for the concern!
and thanks for answering the USDA question!

Ohhhh!  Sorry about that -- I misunderstood when you'd had her titer done. 

Sounds like a good call getting as much done before you leave.  The fact that the certificate is good for 4 months was a huge help for us, too.