Taking dogs abroad

Most vets seem to know what is required for the pet passport. I have been to vets in France, Spain and Luexembourg and not encountered any problems but always have taken my own worming tablets which must conform to the regulations. It generally works out cheaper if you take your own tablets, round about 26 Euros for each dog.

peedee

I normally take my own worming tablets which I get from my vet, most vets speak English, more so if you are near a port. I also buy a Scalibor collar which protects against sand flys and parasites in wooded areas especially pine forests. You will need to get your dog to the vet before travelling home for the health check and worming between 2 to 5 days prior to travelling here is a site for checking vets locations European Vets for Pet Passport - Google Maps

Thanks for your replies.  Are sand flies a problem throughout the year, or only at certain times?  We are going to Spain in April, thinking of heading down to Murcia - will they be a problem.  Drontal makes one of my dogs sick, so would like to try an alternative (hopefully one that is freely available on line).  I know that there is Milbemax but it's prescription only.  

sand flies are around all year, but worse when the temps rise, you wont need anything else with the Scalibor collar and you can leave them on for upto 6 months, the only time to remove them is when they go into water but after they are dry put it back on

Paul

Our dog has never had a side effect form the collar you will however need you worming tablets for the trip home

Most Vets in Europe know about the Pet Passport scheme and just showing the Pet Passport will get their eyes lit up at the thought of easy Euros for minimal work.

You have between 24hrs (1 day) and 120hrs (5 days) before your arrival time back in the UK from the time and date the Vet puts on the Passport – P P Officers will not deviate from those times.

Make sure they sign, date and stamp the Passport correctly or you will have problems at Pet Passport control – the responsibility to have the correct information is yours and yours alone when it is presented to the P P Officers.

Failure to do so will result in at least a 24 hour delay while you have the treatment done again and if the Rabies treatment has lapsed, or is non-existent, your dogs will not be allowed in the UK for 21 days (three weeks).

99% of all dogs that go abroad have no problems with sand-flies or any other 'nasties' but it's better to safe than sorry.

Speak to your Vet well in advance of your holiday about any preventative treatments you may require when going abroad and the further south you go the more the risk of problems.

In my experience it is cheaper to get the tapeworm treatment as far away from a channel port as possible, as the cost seems to rise the closer you are to Calais or any of the Channel Ports

Crusader and Peedee are spot on with their advice.We take a Milbemax Chewy pack with us and fit Rita with a Scalibor collar two weeks prior to travelling.She is given a Milbemax on a monthly basis at home and abroad as Heartworm is becoming more widespread.French  vets we have used have been happy to administer our Milbemax for the PP.Most speak English and are well versed in PP requirements.We also take Eliminal and a tick hook with us-the former is administered monthly.We also take her PetPlan policy and a claim form just in case.We get the rabies jab done annually just to be certain in case of challenge,as I understand that the French require this to be done annually.Never had any issues other than a near miss with a viper in Spain when I very foolishly let her run ahead of me in woodland- I keep her on the lead in the woods now .

In 2014 we took our dog to the vet (which I had booked before leaving the UK) and were given the option of a tablet or injection.  The injection was more expensive, but we opted for it, on the basis that we didn't want to spend ages at the vets while having to encourage her to take the tablet - hiding it in cheese often does the trick, but she has been known to eat the cheese and leave the tablet!!

David 

I didn't know they did injections!  Wish I had for one of mine - who turned from the softest dog you could do ANYTHING with until you wanted her to take a pill - just extraordinary.  In France I let the vet give the labrador the worm pill - but suggested I gave the other one hers - I seem to have the knack with her usually - but she is really good at spitting them out if she gets half a chance!