# TITERS--Shedding Some Light On



## Chagall's mom (Jan 9, 2010)

*Kris*, I can't thank you enough for posting this! I am still kicking myself for allowing my vet to give Chagall his first annual DHPPC booster in August, instead of doing titers! Next year in August I plan to attend a Poodle Health Clinic in Flanders, NJ, where they do screenings and titers for a reasonable cost. I'd actually debated how many vaccines I'd get Chagall, but I got suckered a bit, I suppose, by my vet's thinking. Thank you again, you always post such useful material on this subject. I do appreciate it very, very much!


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## cbrand (Aug 9, 2009)

Interesting. I have always advocated not vaccinating after the initial puppy series plus one year booster, but this seems to indicate that only a single vaccine is necessary.

Thanks for the information.


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## PaddleAddict (Feb 9, 2010)

"To shed some light on titer testing, the following is from Page 19 the American Animal Hospital Association's 2003 Canine Vaccine Guidelines under the heading "Serological Tests to Monitor Immunity: it states that "Although the committee does not feel it is necessary to determine titers to these core viruses on an annual basis because of the long minimum DOI [duration of immunity] for these products, titers can be used for your and/or your client's assurance that the animal has immunity. Experience with postvaccination titers for CDV [distemper], CAV [hepatitis], and CPV [parvo] shows that sterile immunity lasts for years...........The primary reason for the test is to ensure that you have a positive test after completing the puppy vaccination series."

This is very interesting. I wonder how often we should check titers? Every three years? Every five? Just one time (after the puppy series)?


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## Kris L. Christine (Jul 11, 2010)

Chagall's mom said:


> *Kris*, I can't thank you enough for posting this! I am still kicking myself for allowing my vet to give Chagall his first annual DHPPC booster in August, instead of doing titers! Next year in August I plan to attend a Poodle Health Clinic in Flanders, NJ, where they do screenings and titers for a reasonable cost. I'd actually debated how many vaccines I'd get Chagall, but I got suckered a bit, I suppose, by my vet's thinking. Thank you again, you always post such useful material on this subject. I do appreciate it very, very much!


You're very welcome, I'm glad you found it helpful!


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## Kris L. Christine (Jul 11, 2010)

cbrand said:


> Interesting. I have always advocated not vaccinating after the initial puppy series plus one year booster, but this seems to indicate that only a single vaccine is necessary.
> 
> Thanks for the information.


You're welcome for the information -- it depends upon at what age the one vaccination is given!


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## Kris L. Christine (Jul 11, 2010)

PaddleAddict said:


> This is very interesting. I wonder how often we should check titers? Every three years? Every five? Just one time (after the puppy series)?


For his own dogs, Dr. Schultz only does one titer for distemper, hepatitis, and parvo -- that is two or more weeks after vaccination. If they test positive at any level, he never titers or vaccinates them again. 

Have you ever heard of a physician suggesting that patients have a polio or measles titer?


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## Bella's Momma (Jul 26, 2009)

Thank you for this. We're just about to go to a new veterinarian, who is not a a Holistic vet, and I want to have the Rabies Titers run instead of the vaccine since our pup was sick for 6 mos after her last Rabies vaccine. Coicidence or not, I don't want to risk it! 

I just wish the cost of running the titers wasn't so high ($200 something!). I can see where it would give people pause and tempt to just have the vaccine again.


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## Sutton Bend (Jul 28, 2010)

I really appreciate this information. This concept is fairly new to me, but it makes total sense! I will be sure to follow these protocols and spare ourselves any unnecessary vaccines and the harm they may cause.


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## rubymom (Apr 24, 2010)

Thank-you so much for taking time to spread this information around!
I have become more informed on vaccines now and have made some choices. At this point, I'm not rushing to get a rabies vaccine for my 7 month old! The risks are just not worth it! And I doubt that she will be getting any 1 year "boosters!" Boosters for what? 
Why not have the titers done to show she does not need any boosters. 
To me, it looks like the vets would focus $$$ making on titers these days instead of trying to push shots!


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## Kris L. Christine (Jul 11, 2010)

rubymom said:


> At this point, I'm not rushing to get a rabies vaccine for my 7 month old! The risks are just not worth it! And I doubt that she will be getting any 1 year "boosters!" Boosters for what?
> Why not have the titers done to show she does not need any boosters.
> To me, it looks like the vets would focus $$$ making on titers these days instead of trying to push shots!


Rubymom,

The one vaccination you are required by law to have for your pup is the rabies vaccination, and if she hasn't had any, her life will be on the line if she bites or scratches anyone or gets tangled up with a rabid or suspected rabid animal.


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## Kris L. Christine (Jul 11, 2010)

Bella's Momma said:


> I just wish the cost of running the titers wasn't so high ($200 something!). I can see where it would give people pause and tempt to just have the vaccine again.


Actually, the quickie in-house pass/fail titer for distemper and parvo is not expensive! This is the test we'd give our guys before we'd take them to the boarding kennel, and we'd get a letter from the veterinarian so they wouldn't need to be revaccinated to be boarded. Here's the link for the 15 minute in-house titer tests for distemper and parvo:TiterChek Synbiotics ||| Synbiotics Corporation |||

This link will take you to the following article and quotes: *Ask Your Vet for TiterCHECK BY *Rhonad L. Rundle, 07/31/02 _The Wall Street Journal _PAWlicies

"Michael Dutton, a veterinarian and owner of Weare Animal Hospital in Weare, N.H., says the new TiterChek can help him and his clients determine which pets need a booster. ...... Dr. Dutton says he is charging clients $30 for the new in-office TiterChek test. That's less than half his $64 charge for the lab tests, which take 10 days and require mailing specimens overnight in ice packs. "


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## rubymom (Apr 24, 2010)

Kris L. Christine said:


> Rubymom,
> 
> The one vaccination you are required by law to have for your pup is the rabies vaccination, and if she hasn't had any, her life will be on the line if she bites or scratches anyone or gets tangled up with a rabid or suspected rabid animal.


You are correct, it is the law..........
As far as her life on the line, that's exactly what I'm focused on!
Medical issues have delayed the rabies shot thus far and I will be certain that her health status is clear before getting one.


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## jester's mom (Nov 25, 2008)

GREAT info! I have always thought all the shots were not a good thing and was glad to hear that the three puppy shots and the one year old shot was all that was needed. Now to read this, it is very interesting to see that the puppy shot is all that is needed. I am going to have mine titer tested and if they are fine, then I will leave them be.


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