# Rabies Titer Test: A Complete Guide to Traveling Safely with Your Pet

_Published: April 14, 2025_

> Want to take your pet (dog or cat) on a trip, but aren't sure which procedures you need to complete to travel together? This guide covers it all.

<p>Want to bring your pet (a dog or a cat) along on a trip, but aren't sure what procedures you need to complete to travel together? This article covers all the steps waiting for you before you set off on a trip with your pet.</p>

<p>It's recommended to start preparations at least <strong>a few months before</strong> your trip, since as the owner you'll need quite a bit of time to prepare all the necessary paperwork.</p>

<p>Our team has put together all the important steps needed for your trip to go smoothly and without stress. Read each item carefully below and pay attention to the details, so you can prepare for your upcoming vacation calmly and without surprises.</p>

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<h3 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center"><strong>Pet passport</strong></h3>

<p>A pet passport is mandatory for travel, and it contains all the relevant information about the pet and its owner. The passport is issued by the veterinary clinic or practice where you regularly get checkups and vaccinations done.</p>

<h3 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center"> <strong>Titer test</strong> <strong>for your pet</strong></h3>

<p>The titer test is a key step for traveling with a pet, since it determines the level of rabies antibodies in the blood. <strong><em>The result of this test represents the level of specific neutralizing antibodies against the rabies virus in your pet. The threshold titer is at least 0.5 I.U./ml.</em></strong></p>

<p>These analyses can only be performed at laboratories authorized by the European Union (the Pasteur Institute in Novi Sad), and only <strong><em>at least 30 days after your</em></strong> pet's rabies vaccination. Your vet will draw blood from your pet and send it to the Pasteur Institute for you, with no need for you to travel to Novi Sad yourself.</p>

<p><strong>**Important note before doing the titer test:**</strong></p>

<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Blood is drawn from the pet before feeding</li>

<li>The dog must be vaccinated against rabies before the titer test is performed.</li>

<li>The test can be done at the earliest one month after vaccination.</li>

<li>You'll receive the results within 10 days of the sample reaching the laboratory.</li>
</ul>

<p><em><strong>IMPORTANT</strong> – <strong>You can only take your pet abroad three months after a successful titer test, provided the test result is satisfactory.</strong></em></p>

<p><em><strong>This test is done once and remains valid for life, provided your cat or dog is regularly revaccinated every year following a satisfactory test.</strong> </em></p>

<p>Still, you should familiarize yourself with the rules of the country you're traveling to. Besides dogs and cats, ferrets also belong to the first group of pets, and the same rules apply to them as to dogs and cats.</p>

<p>Other pets, such as tropical fish, birds, amphibians, etc., are subject to different rules – ask your vet or your city's veterinary inspection office about them.</p>

<p>To have the titer test done, your pet must be older than three months, since that's the minimum age for microchipping and rabies vaccination. The testing itself is simple, but it requires prior vaccination and microchipping.</p>

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<h3 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center"><strong>Veterinary certificate <strong>for your pet</strong></strong> <strong>and inspection</strong></h3>

<p>Before you set off on your trip, once you've received your titer test result, you need to have your pet undergo a clinical exam 48 hours before travel.</p>

<p>Then, with the passport, the valid titer test, and the vet's certificate, you go to the veterinary inspection office to have a <strong>veterinary certificate</strong> issued. This certificate allows you to cross the border. You can't travel with your pet without it.</p>

<p><strong>IMPORTANT</strong>: Visit the inspection office 48 hours before travel. If you're traveling on Monday, be sure to go to the inspection office on Friday. At the inspection office you'll fill out the appropriate application and pay two fees: 100 RSD and 9,420 RSD.</p>

<p>The certificate is valid for 10 days for leaving the country and 120 days for the return. If the vaccination expires before that, you'll have to return earlier.</p>

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<h3 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center"><strong>Costs</strong> of traveling with a pet</h3>

<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>4,000-5,000 RSD – microchipping and rabies vaccination</li>

<li>10,000-12,000 RSD – Titer test</li>

<li>1,000-2,000 RSD – Clinical exam of the dog</li>

<li>9,520 RSD – Veterinary certificate</li>
</ul>

<p><strong><em>With this fairly complicated procedure, pay special attention to the deadlines!</em></strong></p>

<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>The clinical exam can't be older than 48 hours before the trip.</li>

<li>With the veterinary certificate you have 10 days to leave the country and 120 days to return.</li>

<li>If the vaccination expires before the 120 days are up, you must return before that deadline.</li>
</ul>

<p>The procedure described here applies only to travel within the EU and is aligned with the rules for travel within the EU. Every country outside the EU has its own specific requirements, which should be checked before travel, with the veterinary inspection office. Plan ahead, since the process can take time, but with proper preparation, everything will go smoothly for your trip with your pet.</p>