BajaNomad - Situational Ethics Question - Dogs

Situational Ethics Question - Dogs

DianaT - 12-8-2007 at 08:17 PM

Problem

Dogs had all their shots in 2006 in El Centro, California

Rabies certificates were issued for one year only. If asked when coming back to the US, they want a current Rabies Certificate.

Vet in Imperial Beach said the Rabies shots are good for three years

Call Vet in El Centro---he verifies that shot is good for three years but county of Imperial will only issue the certificate for one year --- county law.

Vet in Imperial Beach says it is not good to over vacinate dogs---we agree.

We have a very good computer scanner, photoshop, and printmaster------------

We have never been asked for dog papers when entering the US---only asked once when entering Mexico and that was when entering from Guatemala.

Ok, what would you do?

Diane

[Edited on 12-9-2007 by jdtrotter]

bajaguy - 12-8-2007 at 08:22 PM

Have the Vet issue you a certificate of vaccination with the date given and the expiration date. Or get Vet to write a letter on his letterhead

Marie-Rose - 12-8-2007 at 08:22 PM

Use false documents... that's what I would (have done) do. As long as you know your dog is vaccinated and not a health risk for anyone else we do not compromise their health by re-vaccinating.

Dr Tom...??????

bajadogs - 12-8-2007 at 08:29 PM

Diane,
Patriot Act prevents me from answering this question.
Mark

ps. I love Photoshop!

reefrocket - 12-8-2007 at 08:33 PM

I would "doctor" BUT never use them getting into US. They may be a goverment form! This could be 'forging a goverment document'. I hear they get real cranky about that. If I was going to do a NO NO it would have to be for more an a vet certificate.

DianaT - 12-8-2007 at 08:40 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by bajadogs
Diane,
Patriot Act prevents me from answering this question.
Mark

ps. I love Photoshop!

Do wonder what Dr. Tom thinks about over vacinating dogs but he is suffering from short timers disease only to be cured by his upcoming trip to Baja.

Thanks
Diane

shari - 12-8-2007 at 08:44 PM

no brainer D...use your technology

Sharksbaja - 12-8-2007 at 08:58 PM

I doubt unless you have puppies that anyone will bother you. U.S. Customs were alerted about puppy farms where purebreds are cloned

and sent north.

Just get a letter from yer vet. They(anyone) won't be able to decipher it so perhaps you should be writing your own.
:rolleyes:

The Sculpin - 12-8-2007 at 10:30 PM

Duh!
A thick blanket over the kennel, accompanied by a bunch of "building materials" type crap will take care of the situation! Just declare the Tecate quart in the cooler! Having brought over a trio of sibling kittens, as well as other "less desirable" but loving mammals to the otre lade....

Isn't it amazing how one doesn't slur when typing out responses while drunk!?!?

toneart - 12-9-2007 at 12:17 AM

Diane,

I believe the International norm for Rabies shots is three years. It seems to me that Imperial County is being arbitrarily officious, and potentially harmful to dogs to require one every year.

So, if three years is universally standard, a vet's International Health Certificate should be acceptable. By the way, they have to be issued within 10 days (some say 72 hours) of crossing the border. To be safe, also have a Mexican Vet issue one before you return to the U.S. If he/she doesn't have the form, ask him to write a letter.

I too have never been required to produce papers upon entering either country, but I always have them just in case.

It would be prudent to advise NOT making up a phony one. I'm not a prude except when it comes to my dog's well being.

DrTom - 12-9-2007 at 08:37 AM

licensing is different than immunity. And there is no problem revaccinating a rabies vaccine. The over vaccination issue is not about rabies so if you want to reboost (revaccinate) the rabies, go ahead. No harm done. But usually these issues are about $ and not immunology. The required certificate does not have to be a county one, it can be from the vet clinics computer software. BTW the 1 vs 3 yr duration isnt about the vaccine, but its about the jurisdictions concern re rabies control. In British Columbia, rabies is low risk and not required by law (but recommended) in calif, a rabies endemic state, its required (i think). I dont recommend falsifying the documents because its a liability issue. If your dog bit someone, and the public health officer (or the bitee's lawyer) see's its a remodeling job, youre gonna have some problems. Bottom line Rabies vax $15, fake documents.....priceless!

DrTom - 12-9-2007 at 08:42 AM

btw, i make sure my own dogs are current and i COULD just write the document, so its important. And last thing, remember to bring flea and tick control (eg Frontline)......ticks cause disease down there.

ELINVESTIG8R - 12-9-2007 at 08:46 AM

Forging documents. Is that not a Felony? :lol:

DrTom - 12-9-2007 at 08:52 AM

yeah, they send you to prison for 20......dog years!

Diver - 12-9-2007 at 09:31 AM

My wife has often called me "dog".
I don't mind the shots but wearing this choker with the tags is a pain !! :lol:

DianaT - 12-9-2007 at 09:52 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by DrTom
btw, i make sure my own dogs are current and i COULD just write the document, so its important. And last thing, remember to bring flea and tick control (eg Frontline)......ticks cause disease down there.

Always use the Frontline---also heart guard---near the border, lots of heart worm problems.

Certificate was generated from Vet's computer---not the county, he just said that while he knew the shot was good for 3 years, the county would only let him issue it for 1 year.

Since we go back and forth about every month, we won't get the international health certificate once a month.

So if we had had the shots in San Diego, the certificate would say three years before they are due----just a problem with Imperial County which is kind of a joke because in our neighborhood in Calexico, I think we were about the only ones who had our dogs vacinated for anything----so many died from parvo all the time.

Rabies tags just say when they were vacinated, not when they are due----have just been using those-- but never asked.

Answers are interesting---Diver, you need a prong collar. :lol:

Diane

[Edited on 12-9-2007 by jdtrotter]

castaway$ - 12-9-2007 at 09:59 AM

Just a word of caution. On our last trip to Baja we took our dogs in for shots the day we left Oregon. Driving down I-5 in the evening one of our Chihuahua's started having problems, we were far from home and it was late with no idea where a vet might be. We called our vet, a personal friend (His name is Dr. Tom also, I better not find out he is going to Baja without me) anyway he told me watch her closley and find a vet in the AM. Unfortunately we lost our friend the following day, we found out that she had an allergic reaction to the Parvo vaccine. Please consider getting any necessary shots a day or to in advance, I would hate to see others start a trip this way also. We still miss her.

DianaT - 12-9-2007 at 10:06 AM

Quote:

I, too, like picking and choosing the laws or regs that I abide by.

Soulpatch, the law requires current Rabies Vac. and the shots are good for three years----like I said, tags just show when they were vacinated with a three year shot----

Think I'll just leave the certificate home and turn around and get one if it is ever needed.

Castaway,
That is awful about your dog! I am really sorry. :no:

Diane

elizabeth - 12-9-2007 at 10:27 AM

Quote:

Think I'll just leave the certificate home and turn around and get one if it is ever needed.

Good decision!!! Giving false information to a border official, or for that matter, your local policeman, FBI, etc., etc. is a crime. Not having the certificate just means going back and getting the shot...not nearly the same potential consequences.

David K - 12-9-2007 at 10:38 AM

Years ago (like 1980) the inspector at Calexico had a fit when my mom couldn't find the vaccination papers for her two small dogs (chihuahua and c-ckapoo)... It was a summer day and well over 100 degrees... Finally his supervisor came out, apologized for making us wait and said we could just have our vet send them proof of vaccination after we returned home... and we were on our way!

The dogs are your property and part of your family... The fact that they have a license is proof alone of rabies vaccination.. since a license is only issued with proof of the vaccination.

By the way, the one time was the only time we have been asked for vaccination papers when crossing the border with dogs...

[Edited on 12-9-2007 by David K]

Technology

MrBillM - 12-9-2007 at 10:56 AM

I once "Thought" I would need a vaccination certificate and my Finished "Home-Published" version looked exactly like the Vet's. He probably couldn't have told the difference.

DrTom - 12-9-2007 at 05:14 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by castaway$
Just a word of caution. On our last trip to Baja we took our dogs in for shots the day we left Oregon. Driving down I-5 in the evening one of our Chihuahua's started having problems, we were far from home and it was late with no idea where a vet might be. We called our vet, a personal friend (His name is Dr. Tom also, I better not find out he is going to Baja without me) anyway he told me watch her closley and find a vet in the AM. Unfortunately we lost our friend the following day, we found out that she had an allergic reaction to the Parvo vaccine. Please consider getting any necessary shots a day or to in advance, I would hate to see others start a trip this way also. We still miss her.

Sorry for your loss.....the vaccine reactions are almost always due to the leptospirosis fraction of the vaccine (the L in the DHLPP). One thing clients can do is pretreat for this by giving a benedryl prior to the injection. I recommend vaccinating a month prior to travel. By the way, there are veterinarians all along I5 from vancouver to san diego. And near any big town there will be a 24hr emergency facility, so if anyone has a problem, stop, phone and go get it checked...
And if anyone needs advice in baja, you can call either myself or Dr Bravo at 13 031 71 in San Jose...let them know you're a nomad friend of mine....