# Health Certificates



## Prinzsalpha (Jul 6, 2005)

Being that we have 9 GSD Rescues in Wis we are able to rescue out of state. We have plenty of applications to keep us busy with the plenty of dogs out there that need help. 
We need Health Certificates in order to transport the dogs across state lines which we get. In order to get them the dog must be seen a few days b4 transport. The cost can range from $7-$55 depending on the vet and the length of time they are good for vary from 7-30 days depending on the state and of course the office visit you must pay. Now the above is crazy...no universal price or average days they are good for. 
What we have seen in the last year is dogs getting health certificates that clearly should not have had them. We have gotten alot of sick dogs up here. The reason for the frustration is one, if we knew what the issues were we would treat immediately for whatever instead of waiting until they come up here and being surprized by whatever ailment they have. Second a sick dog puts everyone at risk, the transporters who volunteer their time, also their own personal dogs who more than likey travel in their cars. The foster families who in most cases have multiple dogs. So we end up treating the foster family dogs and the rescue. 
I make sure all vetting is in order b4 transports but we cannot treat what we do not know. It really makes me wonder about vets, the whole health certificate system, whose making the $ off these and the obvious why bother.
Just wanted to know what other rescue people think. 
Thanks


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## Jazy's mom (Jan 5, 2004)

I think if I got a dog with a HC that was sick, I would be calling the vet who issued the HC and having a nice conversation with them. 

I realize in some cases the dog may have been ok when examined and that a HC is not a gaurantee, but if this is happening frequently then something needs to be said. Maybe contact the Ag Dept also.

In TN, I believe the HC is only good for 7 days and usually runs between $20-40 depending on the vet. I found a place yesterday that only charges $10 for the HC and $11 for the exam.

Note: I have gotten HC for dogs that had health issues, but it was something that was not contagious. Example: HW+ and a note was made at the bottom of the HC.


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## HeidiW (Apr 9, 2009)

Interesting to know this part of rescue obstacle with the vets.


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## Prinzsalpha (Jul 6, 2005)

Thanks Amy....we must be the only ones who use HC's.


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## pupresq (Dec 2, 2005)

We get them done on the shelter end for a lot of transports. I think they cost around $15. For the most part they've worked as they're supposed to - keeping everything legal for interstate transport and catching obvious problems. I'd still plan to quarantine a dog who has a health certificate though, even if the vet did everything right. I mean, the dog could easily be incubating something or have something nonobvious going on.


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## pupresq (Dec 2, 2005)

Thinking about it some more, I imagine that a lot of clinics are under pressure to certify dogs no matter what because in many cases if the dog doesn't make the transport, it's going to die. If your group is committed to the dog no matter what and will get traatment and do transport later in the event of a problem, perhaps making sure the sender knows that would help? Probably you're already telling them that, just thinking outloud about what might help people towards full disclosure. Sadly, that doesn't go without saying. A lot of transports are do or die propositions if the shelter is full and the receiving group doesn't have the funds to board and treat a sick dog.


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## Jazy's mom (Jan 5, 2004)

I use Peterson Express Transport Service to help transport dogs from the south up to the north east (usually to Echo). In this situation, the dog has already been pulled from the shelter and is either being temp boarded at my home or at a vet/boarding facility. The paid transport service requires the dog be out of the shelter for two weeks. I think this is a good policy so that if the dog has anything from the shelter it will most likely show symptoms prior to transport. Usually, the week before transport I take the dog to a vet (if not already being boarded at one) to get the HC. If the dog is sick then he/she will not be allowed on transport and will stay here until well and then the HC is issued.

I could see if this was a volunteer transport and the dog is getting a HC right after leaving the shelter and then is transported a day or two later, how a dog could appear healthy when the HC was issued, but then come down with something by the time he/she arrived at the rescue.


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## RebelGSD (Mar 20, 2008)

Health certificates mainly certify that the pet has the required vaccinations and that it does not have visible communicable diseases at the time of the exam. My local vet did a fecal when I had to fly a dog, which most vets don't do. They would notice significant URI, obvious signs of parvo, sarcoptic mange. Other health stuff is not really checked. Unfortunately diseases may be present in incubation form and show up later. If you are paying for both exam and HC, you have the right to require a thorough exam independent of HC. If you are paying only for the HC, they will only check the minimum required. 
As it was mentioned, it is a double-edge sword, if they are very strict, rescues may end up giving up dogs because of the cost of boarding can be prohibitive.


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## Prinzsalpha (Jul 6, 2005)

We pay for boarding and that is not an issue. We need the dogs out of the shelter asap to quarantine them. They are usually in boarding or foster for 10 days. And since we use volunteer transport it is important to protect them from any illness that may spread. We do not add dogs to our runs unless they have gone through the same protcol as us.


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## RebelGSD (Mar 20, 2008)

I would suggest that you explain this to the vet and demand a thorough health exam as opposed to an HC centered exam. The HC exam focuses on a few specific things and is not very thorough. You can even bring in the dog for the health check, and, BTW ask for the HC at the end of the exam. Some vets will issue the HC several days after seeng the dog. Unfortunately it is imposible to rule out health problems 100% even with a thorough exam.


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