rabies vaccine

My vet and I were puzzling over this and I can't find a sure answer:  How long is the rabies vaccine valid before the cat gets shipped to the UK? We thought we'd be going across last summer, so we had our cat microchipped, vaccinated and tested last winter. It was a three-year rabies vaccine, but the vet isn't sure whether the UK will accept that. I don't see anything about this on the DEPRA site.  Has anyone come across this? I hate to go through all that again--plus, at this point he would not have passed the 6 months before we head over to the UK. This whole process is mind-boggling!

Can you email or call someone at DEPRA?

I think it's one year, but I could be wrong -- it's been a long time since I did all this. I'm sure someone here will know the answer to your question. If not, you can email DEFRA at pets.helpline@defra.gsi.gov.uk. I remember doing that quite a bit and they were very helpful to me.

Thanks, I had no idea! I'll send the question to them.

Ditto on the DEFRA people being very helpful.  Also the Animal Reception Centre at Heathrow.

You do realise that the 6 months starts ticking from the day the blood is drawn and is valid for 4 months after the 6 months is up (or rather, 4 months from the moment the USDA issues the serial number on the Third Country Vet Certificate)  If you surpass the 10 months, you may have to start again.

I just went through the whole thing and I think I'm going to frame my paperwork!

Ditto on the DEFRA people being very helpful.  Also the Animal Reception Centre at Heathrow.

You do realise that the 6 months starts ticking from the day the blood is drawn and is valid for 4 months after the 6 months is up (or rather, 4 months from the moment the USDA issues the serial number on the Third Country Vet Certificate)  If you surpass the 10 months, you may have to start again.

I just went through the whole thing and I think I'm going to frame my paperwork!

hi...did you get the third country cert. from your vet?  My dog just passed her six months, we leave end of February.  thanks!

Here is the official word on vaccinations by the DEFRA website.  The batch should have a "valid until" date on it and this must be put on the third country vet certificate.

"the date by which the booster vaccination must be given (the “Valid until” date) (calculated by reference to the vaccine manufacturer’s data sheet)."

http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/quarantine/pets/procedures/support-info/vac.htm

Jennredd - this is what Defra told me to use the pages 5 & 6 - the annex. Someone said they had to be printed front and back. Mine were not and I didn't have any trouble clearing my cat in December. The USDA vet did stamp both pages though. Your vet should also have a US Interstate and International Certificate of health examination (mine was 5 pages with carbon paper) that you have to take to the USDA along with the filled out health certificate. I also had to have a C5 form for customs.

http://europa.eu.int/eur-lex/pri/en/oj/dat/2004/l_065/l_06520040303en00130019.pdf

So it sounds like I will definitely have to repeat some of the steps we took last year. That means we won't be able to bring our cat with us but will have to have him stay with friends for a while. Too bad I put this on the back burner 'til after Christmas! Thanks, everyone, for clearing that up.

Update:

I e-mailed the pets-helpline (we backed and forthed a few times with bits of information) and they just sent me a message saying that we will not have to redo our vaccine or rabies test. On the one hand, I'm relieved. But on the other hand, I'll continue to have a nagging doubt as to whether it really is valid. I will certainly save all the correspondence with them (in case that helps in the end).  Finges crossed!

After your pet has been vaccinated and successfully blood tested, it will need regular booster vaccinations. These must be given by the "Valid until" date in section IV of the EU pet passport or official third country veterinary certificate. If this date is missed your animal will not meet the conditions of the scheme and will have to be vaccinated and blood tested again. The 6 month rule will then apply from the date the new blood sample is taken assuming the blood test result is satisfactory. If your pet always has its booster on time, it will not need further blood tests.

from the Defra website at: http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/quarantine/pets/procedures/support-info/vacci.htm

Basically if you look at the certificate you got with the rabies shot, it should give the expiration date. The vaccine is valid until then.
Also:

An approved inactivated vaccine or recombinant vaccine must be used. There are currently 4 authorised rabies vaccines in the UK: Canigen, Nobivac Rabies, Quantum Rabies and Rabisin. The vaccine must be approved in the country of origin.

(from http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/quarantine/pets/procedures/support-info/vac.htm)

So if yours is one of these, you're in the clear.