Rabies blood test failure

In a blind panic, both dogs, neither related or of the same breed failed their blood tests following rabies vaccination, they were due to fly 190 days after bloods drawn. Our vet has done the vaccine again in the hope that they will build up immunity, but that adds a further 30 days to the plan...He is adamant that the 180 days starts from the injection, not the blood drawn date.

i need help, the 5 week delay has knackered our plans and now we are terrified we mightn't be able to go, if they fail again. Wouldn't go without them.... Anyone have ANY advice ?

2 of our 3 cats failed first time. Resulted in our cats spening 6 weeks with Golden Arrow. In fact worked out well - we had time to settle into our home and make arrangements for their arrival. I was worried that they would find the separation and my ve traumatic but they have been absolutely fine - in someways made it easier for them to go through quarantine. They are all v happy in their new home.

If you are making arrangements via reputable shippers I am sure that they will get it sorted for you.

Thanks Peachy.... Just so worried they may fail again. We had 10 days spare to meet the 180 days (last blood tests) then got the results in time but following new vaccine and 30 days min, it's another month. I go in Jan but my husband was supposed to be coming end of March. Now it'll be early May... Not sure I can cope without him for so long

Has anyone else got any advice?

Has anyone else got any advice?

Does your shipper have any ideas? Like boarding with them and shipping later? Seems like the only option to me, other than husband delaying his trip.

I hate to make things worse but our shipper said the time starts from when the blood is taken, it's from the injection for NZ I believe. It sounds as though the vets waiting the 3-4 weeks before taking the bloods, Due to work commitments I had to have bloods at exactly 3 weeks but both mine passed to my surprise. SO strange that both yours have failed, must be very rare! They can pass 2nd time, sometimes it takes a 3rd attempt I've heard but at least there's still a chance for them even if it's put your current plans in jeopardy.

good luck!!

Bungo, Mims... Thank you.... A delay is better than never I guess. Just can't believe they both failed, totally different dogs, mongrels in fact, normally indestructible. As long as we get there, nothing good comes easy.... right?

A delay is better than never I guess...... As long as we get there, nothing good comes easy.... right?

Indeed! They didn't say it would be easy, only that it would be worth it! Completely feel your pain on not wanting to go without them, I have everything crossed for you that they pass 2nd time around!!!

Thank you Mims. If they can't go, we can't go they will be 13 in January and the boxer cross is still nuts... Too much for my mum, who is the only person I leave them with. We go away a lot and they stay there but my mum can't do more than a fortnight at a time. Have been dry running quarantine by having them stay in local kennels, but they hate it so leaving them for the minimum amount of time is hard enough. Friends and family try to remind me that they are just dogs, but in the absence of children,e that's how important they are to me....

Our cat failed twice but passed on the third go - she ended up staying with golden arrow for two months whilst we went across as planned - again it worked out well as by the time she came over we were in our long term rental and she was very pampered & happy with them. X

Thanks cartsrus.... Problem is, before all this, we were worried sick about the flight and quarantine as one of my dogs is extremely anxious. As a rescue, it took her a while to trust us and she is very clingy. She can also be quite aggressive when frightened. Admittedly, she is adorable to us, cuddly, affectionate etc but I wouldn't like to be a stranger with her. She had a very tough time before we got her and after 1 night in kennels a few weeks ago, she came out destroyed. Took her 4/5 days to return to normal. She was shaking and crying... Feel awful putting her through this, but I can't leave her behind and the thought of extending her time away from either of us is really stressful

Sorry to be on this late. It is 180 days from the blood test date. Also with the first samples - do you know what the result was. if it is close to passing then you can take blood again 2 weeks after vaccinating, if it is nowhere near then waiting 30 days is ok.

best to give us a call and maybe email the results over and we can point you in the right direction.

1 out of 20 dogs fail the rabies blood test, so you have hit very long and unlucky odds for them both to fail. The other thing is that your vet should have used vaccines from a new batch as if that batch is dodgy then you will be stuck again.

we can board them and fly them when they are ready or if you can leave them with a friend we can liaise with them to get the vet work done if you guys need to go at a certain time

Fingers crossed, taking bloods again tomorrow... Bag of nerves

Good luck!! X

They passed!!!!!!!! Yay!!!!!

So pleased for you Emma!!!

They passed!!!!!!!! Yay!!!!!

Hi Strange they both failed first time and both passed second time - as a matter of interest - did you take Bob's advice and ask your vet to use vaccinations from a different batch ?

@Bob is it quite common for them to fail and why would they fail ?

Thanks for info

Has anyone else got any advice?

We fly end of May (our dogs passed first time thankfully) but we are leaving them with a dog sitter for four weeks and then Golden Arrow are picking them up from the sitters house and they fly the end of June. Personally I thought this was the best option because it will give us time to find a rental, get our furniture in etc before the dogs arrive rather than having them arrive 10 days after us and us be too busy to settle them in properly.

Good luck xx

They passed!!!!!!!! Yay!!!!!

Don't know how I missed this thread at the time as we were in exactly the same boat! Our boxer girl failed here 1st blood test but thankfully passed her 2nd. This put her 6 weeks behind us but luckily my parents are happy to have her.

Even so I am dreading leaving her because she's such an anxious little girl and very clingy with me. She's also a rescue of sorts and has never been in kennels because she simply wouldn't cope with it. I am really concerned with how she will cope with the flight, quarantine and then another flight but hopefully it'll be worth it in the end. And taking from the other comments on here, I'm sure she'll be much happier to arrive once we've got sorted with a long term rental and all our familiar furniture has arrived. It's still going to be a very long 8 weeks without her [emoji26]

We fly March 14th and she's on the Emirates flight on April 27th - fingers crossed!

Good luck!!

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Around 1 out of 20 pets fail first time, so it is not unheard of, but just quite rare, especially for 2 pets to both fail. Sometimes, the batch your vet has may have not been kept refrigerated properly throughout the whole transport process, but most of the time it is just one of those things. Your pets will have made some antibodies, so will be protected, but they have not made enough to satisfy the authorities.