# Canine Distemper Vaccine



## savvyspoo (Dec 4, 2009)

Happy Valentines everyone!
Can anyone who titers, in lieu of over-vaccination please comment...

Would you revaccinate for canine distemper, if a titer results comes back at 1:2 (1:5 is considered protective level). 1:2 falls below that level.

My understanding is antibody titers are a measure of how recently your dog has been exposed to a pathogen. A low titer does not necessarily mean that your dog could not mount an adequate response, but could mean that your dog has not been challenged recently. 

My vet is using fear tactics, saying that my mini boy is at high risk for a horrible distemper disease ...and not boostering him is irresponsible on my part. My head tells me, there's no advantage to another booster, he has already achieved immunity. You cannot make "more immunity" by boostering. 

Also, when I asked how he planned to booster him - he said with a 5-way combo. WTF???? I'm paying for titers to avoid overvaccination ...and now he thinks using a combo vaccine is the answer for boosting distemper. I said no way...find a monovalent. The next thing out of his mouth - it would cost me. So what else is new? Still a bargain considering what it would cost me to treat my dog for autoimmune disease.

If I hadn't asked all these questions and delayed making a decision...my vet would have now gladly injected my boy with that combo - and all the while he knows how adamant I am, that my dogs receive minimal vaccine. I'm so exasperated by this crap.

So back to my question - do you think a 1:2 titer level requires revax?

Thanks!


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## Countryboy (May 16, 2011)

Some opinions say that immunity is immunity . . . no matter what the ratio. Vets can't afford to have that opinion. U could sue them if yr dog contracted the disease.

But some of the ladies in here are a lot more knowledgeable than I. I'll be following the thread.


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## liljaker (Aug 6, 2011)

Another thing my vet brought up and, mind you, she is DVM but holistic (specializes in acupuncture) when we discussed titers -- she said the current "discussion" among vets is what the titers actually indicates. She has a therapy dog so she said there is no way she can get around the vaccinations since they are in hospitals, etc., but she totally understands. Basically, if they do titers and based on what they believe, determine that this # or that # is protected, and then the dog gets something, there is a liability. She said that is the current buzz about the titers......


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## savvyspoo (Dec 4, 2009)

liljaker - Making sure I understand your thoughts...
DVM's feel there's more liability on them, if they titer (vrs just vaccinating) should a dog become ill?


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## liljaker (Aug 6, 2011)

savvyspoo said:


> liljaker - Making sure I understand your thoughts...
> DVM's feel there's more liability on them, if they titer (vrs just vaccinating) should a dog become ill?[/QUOTE
> 
> First of all, I asked her about titers and remarked how expensive they were ($165) since I had just plunked down that amount for the exam and eye tests, etc. She says that now the focus is on what is really "protected" and what is "not protected" -- where the divide is. Basically she said, if titers came back at X for instance, and the understanding is that anything X and above means they are protected, how sure are they and where is the % of error? She just said it issort of the "topic of the hour" --- I didn't really into detail with her and, although she is an owner of this practice, too, her background alone would indicate she is against the over-vaccination. Not sure if I explained it better this time.


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## tortoise (Feb 5, 2012)

Hanging around a vet clinic motivates me to vaccinate more. I think I am on the 3 puppy shots and then one every 3 years. I'm using DA2PP with my puppy. My breeder gave the litter coronavirus singles, which peeves me because it's rarely seen in this area and isn't a life threatening condition. 

Anyways, they don't like to get singles of the odd things because they have to buy a tray of a dozen or more. They lose money. Solution: call around to BIG vet clinics, vet school vet clinics, and find someone that carries the single vaccine. 

I wouldn't worry about titering or revacc-ing the distemper, but I WOULD be wanting to keep up on the parvo portion of the combo.

There are no real concrete answers out there. Your vet will always have more caution because they've watched animals die from these diseases. And of course, there is the CYA element. Vets get sued for ridiculous sums of money. There is healthy caution for them to stick with industry standard.

It's great to find a vet who will do what you want. But you should also have one that challenges your opinion. The more biology I learn, the more cautious I become. The more you know, the scarier the world is.

I applaud people for CARING and getting involved in their pet's care. That's AWESOME. But don't stick your head in the sand or follow along with whatever the raw feeding group of people is saying at a given time. Make sure your information is unbiased, and ask a lot of questions.


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## liljaker (Aug 6, 2011)

savyspoo -- just love the pic of the poodles. Just lovely!


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## savvyspoo (Dec 4, 2009)

Thanks tortoise - good points. 
I can assure you... I'm not unduly influenced by anti-vaccine zealots. 

I lost a beloved Std (at 23 months old) to rabies vaccine induced IMT. 
That tragic experience taught me - that no one is a better advocate for my own dogs, than me. 
I have no agenda other than to keep them alive & happy. 
Which is why I'm here asking questions. I like to make informed decisions.

Unfortunately, DMV's have many agendas - and few have anything to do with my dog's best interest. Am I jaded, cynical, have trust issues? ...Yep! But I've earned the right to be. : )))
****************************************************************************
Thanks liljaker!!! These boys are so much fun. I've just added a new mini girl to the pack. So fun to have a little girl in the house too. More photos on my flickr page - 
http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]


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## CharismaticMillie (Jun 16, 2010)

liljaker said:


> Another thing my vet brought up and, mind you, she is DVM but holistic (specializes in acupuncture) when we discussed titers -- she said the current "discussion" among vets is what the titers actually indicates. She has a therapy dog so she said there is no way she can get around the vaccinations since they are in hospitals, etc., but she totally understands. Basically, if they do titers and based on what they believe, determine that this # or that # is protected, and then the dog gets something, there is a liability. She said that is the current buzz about the titers......


Sort of a sidenote but the therapy organization Millie is registered with only requires a full initial set of vaccines but says that it is up to the vet's discretion whether any vaccines after that must be given. In other words, TDI is perfectly fine with us not revaccinating Mils.


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## CharismaticMillie (Jun 16, 2010)

tortoise said:


> Hanging around a vet clinic motivates me to vaccinate more. I think I am on the 3 puppy shots and then one every 3 years. I'm using DA2PP with my puppy. My breeder gave the litter coronavirus singles, which peeves me because it's rarely seen in this area and isn't a life threatening condition.
> 
> Anyways, they don't like to get singles of the odd things because they have to buy a tray of a dozen or more. They lose money. Solution: call around to BIG vet clinics, vet school vet clinics, and find someone that carries the single vaccine.
> 
> ...


I am just happy that I have a vet who says she has never had to revaccinate a dog in her entire time practicing veterinary medicine if they have followed this schedule: 3 puppy shots and a booster at one year after the third puppy shot. She said she has never had a dog come up with a titer that showed they needed to be revaccinated. I wonder what her range of acceptable levels is.

She does happen to feed raw, but I can guarantee her head is not in the sand. She actively reads research, writes articles, attends seminars, etc.

There is actual research out there that suggests that vaccines are effective for *at least* 3 years, more likely much, much longer. It's not sticking your head in the sand to read the research and to follow accordingly. It is being progressive.


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