We are taking our 2 Border Terriers to Spain and France for the first time this year. We have their passports and are aware of the requirements. I would be interested to know what others do regarding the tapeworm tablet treatment on the return - do you take your own tablets or let the vet supply them? If you do take your own which do you use?
Also, does anyone have a translation in Spanish and/or French explaining what is required in relation to the Pet Passport, in case the vets don't understand English?
I have read about the 'nasties' that can effect dogs in Spain and France. We will be in Spain in April/May and France in June and September. Are Sandflies seasonal or will they still be a problem at that time of year?
Any other advice re travelling with the dogs gratefully received.
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We take our dog to France 2 or 3 times a year and let the vet supply the worm-treatment tablet. The cost varies considerably and over the last couple of years we have paid anywhere from 12 euros to 60 euros, they just charge whatever they like, so do a bit of research first. I think you are unlikely to find a vet that doesn`t speak enough English to know what you require.
I take my dog over twice a year and it's better for the vets to supply tablet . I think they charge the same anyway ! Just show them the passport and they seem to understand ,In spain on return it's much cheaper but we must return within 3 days !
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 the Vet signs, date and stamps 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 be 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.
Much easier now with the extra time allowed between seeing the vet and returning home. I use Scalibor collars and take Milbemax tabs for the vet to administer, I think it does save a bit doing that. Totally agree with checking the time and date entered by the overseas vet. On one trip back there were 3 us sent back to wait until the passport time matched, we had stayed in the same area but had seen different vets and still don't understand why the vet entered the wrong time.
we used to take our own with us from our vet at home - the vets in France don't seem to mind. Depends on the pricing. There's a vast difference in charges the vets in France make: the ones nearer the ports tend to be more expensive, but as above, with the extra time now allowed, you can find one further inland who won't see the passport scheme as a money making enterprise. With four dogs we always have to be careful after a very large bill one year of 240 euros for just administering 4 worming tablets and stamping the passports! There is a good list on here in the red section.
In 8 years we've had a few ticks, one minor eye infection but nothing else. They've always really enjoyed themselves.
------------- Sometimes You're the windscreen; sometimes the fly
I now have just one dog who is about to get her second passport and had another dog who had two passports in her life and we have motorhomed in France mainly but visited Switzerland, Germany and Belgium too. This year it will be Spain.
We take a Drontal tablet for our dog with us and I also dose my dog with Advocate and Advantix alternating them every two weeks. We have never had a problem thank fully.
------------- Rachaelknits
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Thanks for the replies. Drontal makes one of my dogs sick, so ideally looking for an alternative that it available without prescription. Anyone know if Endogard Plus is acceptable? (it does contain Praziquantel).
Rachael - you use Advocate and Advantix? Why the two?
I don't like giving my dogs more chemicals than necessary, so don't dose them on a regular basis at home, but do you find that it is advisable in Spain and France?
We use both as well. Is it not the case that Advocate is more or less solely flea treatment and Advantix is for ticks, biting flies etc.
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Quote: Originally posted by Dicky Mint on 04/2/2016Thanks for the replies. Drontal makes one of my dogs sick, so ideally looking for an alternative that it available without prescription. Anyone know if Endogard Plus is acceptable? (it does contain Praziquantel).
Rachael - you use Advocate and Advantix? Why the two?
I don't like giving my dogs more chemicals than necessary, so don't dose them on a regular basis at home, but do you find that it is advisable in Spain and France?
The Advantix will cover certain things that the Advocate doesn't cover and vice versa.
From box front;
Advantix covers Tick, Flea, Mosquito Sandfly,Stable Fly and Lice
Advocate covers Flea,Larvae, Whipworm,Hookworm,Roundworm,Anglostrongylus,Crenosoma, Heartworm,Otodectes,Sarcoptes, Demodex and louse.
So they do overlap some but it is what our Vet practice advises and my two dogs have always been OK being dosed like this. Maybe look at the BAYER website for more information?
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Topic: Taking Dogs Abroad for First Time
