HEALTH CERTIFICATES ARE REQUIRED!

Just a reminder to anyone traveling out of state with their horses for any reason - you must have a state health certificate for travel across all state lines.

Some states require proof of a negative Coggins test within the past 6 months, some within the past 12 months, and some must be within the calendar year. Illinois, as well as a few western states, also require a permit number to be issued by that state.  Contact the state you plan to visit or our office to be sure you have all the appropriate paper work for your travels. 

What is a health certificate?  This verifies that a veterinarian has examined your horse and deemed that at that time he or she was free of obvious infectious diseases.  The veterinarian will commonly examine the following:

• The respiratory tract - lungs, nostrils, trachea (respiratory disease)
• The mouth for any evidence of ulceration (vesicular stomatitis)
• The temperature - indicative of infection/ disease
• The skin - any contagious dermatologic issues

An state health certificate is valid for 30 days from the date of health inspection performed by your veterinarian. Please plan ahead! 

**Many travel without the appropriate paper work. Please know that if you are stopped without a health certificate you could face: a fine, quarantine, or they may not let you leave the location until a vet meets you on the side of the road to do a Health Certificate Exam.**