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Cost of dog passports


Kitty

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It probably depends on what you include in the “cost”. For example, if you live in France then you (or rather your dogs) will be having Rabies boosters every year whether or not you have a Pet Passport. Thus you may consider that the cost of the rabies vaccination is not really part of the cost of the Pet Passport. Similarly, most responsible dog owners will have their pet micro-chipped these days (or tatoo’d in France). Thus, depending on your circumstances then this is not necessarily an “additional cost”.

Normally, everything required is:

Microchip pet

Rabies vaccination

(Optional rabies booster vaccination)

Blood sample taken

Rabies antibody test on blood sample

Issue Pet Passport paperwork.

(Some of the above may be being done so may not necessarily be an “additional” cost).

In my experience in France:

Microchip already done when I purchased pup (paid about £25 in UK 5 years ago)

Rabies vaccination 27€TTC

Rabies booster – free

Blood sample 21€

Blood antibody test 66€

Issue Pet Passport paperwork – free

Some people get their blood test done after just one rabies vaccination (i.e. without booster). Chanvces fo getting adequate antibody levels are better after a booster (1 month after initial vaccination) – some people try after vaccination, others do a booster – maybe take vets advice.

Hope this helps.

Ian

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[quote user="daryl-et-elaine"]

If the blood test shows adequate antibody levels, there is absolutely no benefit in having a booster dose. The only one to benefit is the vet!

Daryl

[/quote]

I think it’s a “gamble”. If you have the blood test after just one vaccination you may fail, may pass (5 years ago a UK vet told me it was a 20% failure rate after just one rabies vaccination – though he said it was “early days for the statistics”). If you fail after one rabies vaccination then you will need a booster and another blood test so overall your costs will end up higher. If you pass OK after one bvaccination then your gamble paid off.

As I’m not good at explaining these things, example:

Cost of being OK after just one vaccination

(Vaccination+blood sample+blood test) =27€+21€+66€=114€

Cost of being cautions (vaccinate, booster, blood test)

(Vaccination+Vaccination+blood sample+blood test) =27€+27€+21€+66€=141€

Cost of failing after one vaccination and requiring a booster

(Vaccination+blood sample+blood test twice) =2*27€+2*21€+2*66€=228€

(ignoring the constant costs of Pet Passport paperwork, microchip – which are once off costs and would not require repeating).

Trouble is it costs to find out if your dog has adequate antibody levels and there are no refunds of s/he does not – you need to pay out again. Vets can advise as different breeds take differently to vaccines. Also, different aged dogs take differently to vaccines and the health of the dog can also have an effect on how well they react the vaccine (i.e. the level of success) – thus I would take your vets advice. It is not always the vet that “wins” as my vet gave me the 2nd booster free.

Ian

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[quote user="bakerino"]

Think thats a good price if it includes a chip as well. My dog was already chipped

the Rabies jab, blood test and passport was about £200 that was last year.

Chip is nornally about £40 extra

[/quote]

Your vet must drive some phenomenal cars and be looking to retire very early to lead a life of luxury. With prices like that I surprised be even needs to work.

Ian

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[quote user="Cathy"]

My local vet has quoted me £165 per dog to get a passport (chips, vaccinations, blood tests etc).  Is this a fair price?  (I have 3 dogs and so I need to know!...)

[&]

[/quote]

That's probably about right.  When I had Charley done - before the blue passport - I paid £25 for the microchip; £45 for two vaccinations; £75 for the blood test; and £39 LVI documentation fee.

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If you are based in the UK and you are looking to get a pet passport for your pets, if people are quoted by their vets that a mirochip is in the region of £40 then it may be worthwhile contacting some of the local RSPCA animal homes or pet rescue centres as they will often do it for far less.  The cost of the chip is £4 so the charities are usually prepared to do it for just under £10 to cover costs etc.  That makes a big difference when you have more than one animal to do.
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[quote user="Dog"]If you are going to France permanently you do not need a passport.

Just want to make that clear - it's disgusting the amount of money they want for taking your companion/s with you.[/quote]

Actually you do. Export Certificates for animals now covered under the Pet Passport scheme have been discontinued. (Quote from DEFRA web site "From 1 October 2004, vets will not issue pets re-entry certificates (PETS 1), PETS 5 certificates or, for movement of dogs and cats within the EU, Export Health Certificates"). Thus, to take you pet to France s/he must be microchipped, rabies vaccinated and have a Pet Passport. The only thing you will save on is the optional rabies booster and the blood test.

It continually depresses me the number of innocent pets you see being re-homed because their owners circumstances have changed and they have to return to the UK and cannot wait for the blood test/6 month delay to take their pet back to the UK with them – so they need to re-home him/her. The blood test does not add greatly to the cost and whilst you (whoever – not directed at the people asking any questions in this thread) may never plan on returning to the UK, circumstances may always change and having to re-home you pet for that trivial extra cost will add greatly to your stress, upset, etc.

Ian
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Deimos is quite correct.  The implementation of the Pet's Passport was to regularise the movement of pets throughout the EU and, legally, you should have a Pet's Passport for every cat, dog or ferret that is moved across EU borders.

His second point is equally valid and can't be stressed strongly enough.  If you value your pet then the extra cost for a Pet's Passport that is kept up to date is minimal.

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I am returning to UK with my 2 Labs in May. I have done all the procedures which cost 450 euros in total. I need the inspection for ticks etc. prior to departing from Dunkerque. Can anyone tell me what Vets will charge for this inspection and the name of a vet in Dunkerque. Many thanks.
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[quote user="Logan"] Can anyone tell me what Vets will charge for this inspection and the name of a vet in Dunkerque. Many thanks.[/quote]

Cannot remember the costs but it’s a treatment not an inspection. Most vets use Frontline (spray or drops) and Drontral (pills or injection). This is what most people use regularly for tick/flea and worm treatment – so bear in mind when they will be treating your pet in relation to your routine treatments (i.e. do not treat you dog for ticks/fleas/worms too close to visiting your vet).

The tick & worm treatment needs to be carried out between 24 and 48 hours of checking in for your travel to the UK – thus a vet in the ferry port town may not be the most appropriate (depending on your travel plans). There is no flexibility in these times. The treatment must be done by a vet and recorded in the Pet Passport (vet also records what time of day tick and tapeworm treatment was done). Can be done by a vet anywhere. Check with DEFRA web site about treatments and there was a post on this site about one treatment somebody’s vet did that was not acceptable (http://www.completefrance.com/cs/forums/633335/ShowPost.aspx). Normally there is no problem so just make sure paperwork, etc. is correct and there are no problems.

Ian

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Cathy,

           Your figure of £165 per animal is about correct.

Later questions:

           The treatment prior to return to UK is about €30 for one dog but only €45 for two dogs at our Vet in St Severe-sur-Indre. The reason for the odd pricing is that the Vet charges the same for "le visit" whether we take one or two dogs. There is a fixed fee for each treatment. If they are not too busy and want to chat (in English) they also give the animals a thorough check and include that in the back of the Pet Passport.

                                          Alistair

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We had our dogs "passported" a couple of years ago and £165 sounds about right, although I think the cost of micro cipping has come down since then. If you are worried, ask 1 or 2 other vets for a quote.

 

As for the tick and flea treatment, it cost us 75 euro for 3 Golden Retrievers in January in Chateumelliant. It might cost less if you have small dogs as they need fewer tablets ect. By the way, that included all the tablets Penny [old and experinced Golden]  managed to spit out!

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Thank you folks for all the info on this thread.  I am just going to have to bite the bullet and pay nearly £500 for the three dogs.  I suppose that I should be grateful that pet passports do now exist and that I can bring them back with me.
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When we returned to UK last November, I had the temerity to question the Euro 78 the vet charged me for the droncit and fleat-reatment (I provided the frontline) for my labrador and lurcher as the same two dogs had only been charged Euro 66 three months previous.  The vet explained that my dogs had both put on 2 Kgms each so the droncit is really expensive stuff.  It was me that went out with my tail between my legs and both dogs were put on an immediate diet.
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We had our lab treated last year for about £140. The most expensive part was the blood test, at about £65. Also our vet gave two lots of Rabies jabs 1 month apart just to be sure.

Another thing is that the rabies vaccine used lasts for 2 years before a booster is required for the UK side, but for the France side, you still have to have the booster every year

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