To begin or not to begin?

Hello everyone -
I have my dog's annual vet visit schedule for Feb 14th. At this point, I was planning on talking to my vet about our potential travel plans to the UK (most likely would happen within the next year, but I am not entirely sure of a date) and was thinking of doing the microchip and rabies vaccine at this time.  I am unsure if I should being the process now or make an entirely seperate appointment with an entirely different doctor specifically for the PETS scheme.

Two questions:
1. Is appears that you basically have 11 months to complete the process with your pet. Please correct me if I am wrong, but you get the vaccine *wait ONE month*, get the blood test *wait SIX months*, get another blood test and then you have the option of *waiting up to FOUR months* (for a total of 11) before the animal's clearance expires.  Is this correct?
2. Is it foolish to even begin the process with a vet who may not be versed in the process?  Is there anything that a vet must know to do at this initial microchip/vaccine visit (other than to do the microchip FIRST)? Does paperwork need to be started at THIS visit or does paperwork begin at the blood test?

Ok, my apologies - that was more than 2 questions, but any help would be appreciated.

Thank you!

I think you have a couple of points of confusion on the timeline:  you don't need a second blood test, just a health exam where the doctor will fill out the 998 form.  And you can wait more than six months after the test/titer before having that exam, but it needs to be before the vaccine expires or you need another vaccine (but not the whole test again).  After the 998 is certified by the USDA vet, it is good for four months.

If I were you, and you know that you will be working with this vet for the process, you might as well do the microchip and vaccination right now and have it be official.  Otherwise, you will end up needing to do another rabies vaccination later.  You will need a rabies certificate (which your vet always does) with the microchip number on it.  I made sure that the microchip number was typed in next to my dog's name--my vet also attached a sticker with the number, but I didn't want it to look like it had been added later.  I think that would be the only piece of paperwork you would need at this point.

Is your vet USDA accredited?  Not all of them are--apparently it is only useful for things like imports/exports and working with farm animals.  There has been some discussion on this board about whether a USDA accredited vet is necessary for the whole process or just for the final certificate, but I would use one for the whole shebang.  Your vet should know if s/he is USDA accredited.  If not, call around--I found the USDA office unbelievably unhelpful in finding me a USDA accredited vet.

Hope that helps, and isn't too confusing.  I should give the disclaimer that I'm in the midst of doing PETS--my animals haven't made it through yet.  But we've done the rabies and the titer, and we're just waiting the six months now.  My vet looks at me with fear in his eyes when I walk in (I've been a little nutty about the paperwork. . .), but otherwise so far so good.

I don't think it's ever too early as long as you have a USDA accredited vet. I don't think I'd take a chance having anyone other than a USDA accredited vet sign the papers. My vet didn't really understand the process, so I just printed out the information from DEFRA and the Pet Scheme for Dummmies threads and had them put the information in my cat's file. I also keep a copy of both.

I think you have a couple of points of confusion on the timeline:  you don't need a second blood test, just a health exam where the doctor will fill out the 998 form.  And you can wait more than six months after the test/titer before having that exam, but it needs to be before the vaccine expires or you need another vaccine (but not the whole test again).  After the 998 is certified by the USDA vet, it is good for four months.

So, then, you actually have 1 full year from the initial vaccine before the doctor fills out the 998 form (since vaccines are good for 1 year) and then four months after the 998 form is filled out?

I just called my vets office and the receptionist acted like I was asking for her right arm when I asked her to find out if any of the vets are USDA accredited!  Hmph... The search begins for a new vet!  

Thank you!

I don't know that my vet was USDA accredited. I know that the USDA has to sign off on the final paperwork, but I think a licensed vet is enough to do all the grunt work.

Anyway, I don't think you can start too soon. It's easier than you're making it: vaccine, wait ~20 days, blood test. Then it's six months after after the original vaccine before the animal is okay to go.

BUT...when the six months is up, you can just keep kicking the can down the road as long as you like. Provided you keep up the annual rabies shot and check the chip when you do, you don't have to get the final paperwork until you're ready.

I was trying to sell a house in the middle of this crap typhoon when my cat's six months was up. I just kept her vaccination current until I was ready to go -- as it turned out, sixteen months after her original vaccination.

You can call your nearest USDA for advice, to make sure we aren't steering you wrong  Both they and DEFRA were extremely friendly and helpful.

I was trying to sell a house in the middle of this crap typhoon when my cat's six months was up. I just kept her vaccination current until I was ready to go -- as it turned out, sixteen months after her original vaccination.

That is my case exactly.. Selling my house is what makes me think we may need more time.   Thank you thank you for the infomation! 

Then it's six months after after the original vaccine before the animal is okay to go.

Isn't it 6 months after the date of the blood draw rather than the vaccination?  Some people do them on the same day, but it wasn't the case for me.

Isn't it 6 months after the date of the blood draw rather than the vaccination?  Some people do them on the same day, but it wasn't the case for me.

On further reflection, I think you're right. Six months from the blood draw.

... but I can still stretch that six month out as long as we keep getting annual rabies vaccinations, right?

Yep!

... but I can still stretch that six month out as long as we keep getting annual rabies vaccinations, right?

Yep!

WOO HOO!!  Looks like Mirra (my dog) is going to start her "visa" process even before mommy

Is a 1-year rabies vaccine required?  All my guys are on 3-year vaccines because it's one less thing for me to worry about.

I assume that I'll need to redo their vaccine either way if the blood test needs to happen X number of days after the vaccine is given (they got theirs in the fall), but I would like to keep with the 3-year vaccines if I can.  (Especially since, given my luck, my guys would all be rabies-free and then we'd move to the UK and they'd get bitten a year later by some rabid bat on the world's longest migration...)

Thanks!

Is a 1-year rabies vaccine required?  All my guys are on 3-year vaccines because it's one less thing for me to worry about.

I assume that I'll need to redo their vaccine either way if the blood test needs to happen X number of days after the vaccine is given (they got theirs in the fall), but I would like to keep with the 3-year vaccines if I can.  (Especially since, given my luck, my guys would all be rabies-free and then we'd move to the UK and they'd get bitten a year later by some rabid bat on the world's longest migration...)

Thanks!

Last week I took one of my cats to our new UK vet (to convert to a pet passport now that we're here) and discovered that all UK vaccines are the 3 year variety, so I can't imagine that's an issue.

Although, as with everything else, I'd probably double check.

I'm the queen of the extended PETS process. I think I had mine done 5 years or more before we left. Just do all the things in the right order, continue to renew the vaccinations before they expire, get copies of each vax certificate WITH microchip nums on them and then, when you know when you're going to go THEN do the formal PETS forms ... Not a problem at all. As long as you can show you got the vaccines before the prev ones expired you're golden.

i would also check on the 3 year vaccines. I think at one point they weren't accepting them but not sure now.