Q&A from Our Interconnected World, the Globe-Trotting Canine, and You Webinar

by Ali Oaks | November 3, 2022

In our recent webinar, Our Interconnected World, the Globe-Trotting Canine, and You, Dr. Valerie Ragan shares with us the importance of veterinary medicine as the first line of defense against the introduction of diseases into the U.S.

Here, we’re sharing resources and Q&A from the webinar. If you still have questions related to this webinar, please contact us and we’ll add them to this list.


Questions and answers from the webinar

There were many questions submitted by webinar attendees, and not all of them could be addressed in the hour-long session. We have compiled the questions and worked with Dr. Ragan to provide answers to the best of our knowledge. Click on a topic to expand the Q&A.

Disease Prevention & Procedure

The most important thing is to start preparations early. Each country has specific requirements for animal import. I recommend going to the USDA/APHIS website to ensure you know the requirements and timelines needed to send this animal abroad. These processes can take weeks to months to prepare.

If your practice has regular meetings, I suggest adding brief discussions about current events that may impact veterinary medicine. You can strategize how this could affect your specific clinic and what to look out for. 

Absolutely. If an animal is displaying concerning symptoms or is not responding to treatment, it is best to report the case. The animal may have come in contact with another animal that has been overseas, or it could be displaying something that might have originated in this country. The animal does not have to travel abroad to obtain the disease. Report it and ensure you’ve got help in obtaining a diagnosis.

The CDC does not have quarantine requirements for animals coming into the United States. 

My first suggestion is to interact with your state veterinarian. Many state offices publish newsletters that keep you up-to-date on current topics and disease outbreaks. You can also attend state association meetings to stay current on some issues. Another suggestion would be to attend plenty of CE sessions, especially ones that you might not think apply to your practice but may help broaden your awareness of certain areas in veterinary medicine.

Antimicrobial Resistance & New Diseases

I would answer this question cautiously as I am not an expert on this topic. However, the number one suggestion would be to minimize the use of antibiotics unless absolutely necessary. Report anything that may not be responsive and get familiar with the FDA’s drugs of concern. Be sure to follow their recommendations regarding small food animals and the requirements for veterinary feed directives.

I do not believe it is listed federally. However, each state has different guidelines on diseases they would like reported. Be sure to double-check with your state animal health officials on which diseases are reportable in your state. My suggestion would be to report anyways if you suspect you are seeing a case of Moneypox.

GlobalVetLink Questions

Through the GlobalVetLink platform, you can create:

  • International Health Certificates
  • Domestic Health Certificates (Including Hawaii)
  • Rabies Vaccination Certificates
  • Equine Infectious Anemia Tests
  • Extended Equine CVIs
  • Veterinary Feed Directives
  • Veterinary Prescriptions
  • ForSale Certificates (Florida Only)

GlobalVetLink offers a subscription-based model and charges each veterinary practice a monthly subscription fee and per certificate fee. The GlobalVetLink monthly subscription is $34.95/mo and the certificate fees vary depending on the certificate type. GlobalVetLink also offers a pay-as-you go plan, where the clinic is charged for each certificate at a higher certificate fee with no monthly subscription fee.

You can direct your clients looking for domestic travel requirements to AnimalRegs.com. This website will allow them to search for requirements based on the origin and destination site. Those clients looking for international travel requirements can find them on the USDA pet travel site, or you can view them in your GlobalVetLink account.


Download the webinar slides

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Watch Our Interconnected World, the Globe-Trotting Canine, and You Online

About this webinar:

A trip abroad with Fido might sound like just another passport stamp for a pet owner, but there are many possible impacts of a trip to a foreign country and back to the United States. In this webinar (recorded 10/25/2022), Valerie Ragan, DVM, shares with us the importance of veterinary medicine as the first line of defense against the introduction of diseases into the U.S. Dr. Ragan also shares how global changes may impact veterinary medicine, and how veterinarians and practice staff can be prepared to ask questions if they see something unusual and what and to whom they need to report if concern arises. Join us as we dive into our interconnected world, the globe-trotting canine, and you!