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Probably the hottest topic in the
life of dogs today is vaccination protocol. How often should my dog
receive vaccines and which ones should he receive? That topic is
covered elsewhere but the basic thinking today is that dogs carry
immunity for much longer than one year and that they only need a few
basic (Core) vaccines unless there are exceptional reasons
for others, such as for Lyme disease. You can read in more detail
about Bichons and vaccines and about the immune system
in another place.
One recommendation that you will
read is to use titers once the basic immunity has been established.
Current thinking and recommended protocol is that boosters past the
first one should be no more often than every three years. This is
the current "safe" veterinary recommendation but research is ongoing
and vaccines have proven to be effective for much longer than three
years and titers can substantiate that your dog does remain
immunized. So what is a titer?
A serum antibody titer is a blood
test that measures the immune response to a disease-causing
organism. The test actually measures the antibody response when
challenged and the response (or antibody level) reflects past
exposure or vaccination to a particular disease - or a need for
additional protection in order to prevent infection. A positive
result shows presence of adequate antibodies and a negative
indicates need for protection. The most common titers in dogs are
those that test for CPV (canine parvovirus) and CDV (canine
distemper virus) but there are others. Only when the serum antibody
tests show protection to be less than adequate is it necessary to
give boosters. Though a rabies titer is available, state laws may
vary as to whether a titer can replace vaccination boosters.
Different laboratories may have
different standards of protective response so it is important that
your veterinarian is knowledgeable about the recognized standard for
the lab he/she is using. However a general rule will be that the
higher the titer reading, the greater the protection. A dog that
has an acceptable reading does not need further protection and
giving booster vaccines will challenge the immune system needlessly
to produce more antibodies. Studies indicate that immunity is
maintained once it becomes established at a given level, regardless
if from vaccines or from having the disease. Testing every 2-3
years will show when that level is reached.
Actual expected readings will vary
from lab to lab so it serves no purpose in quoting the expected
values. The important message in this article is to state that
having titers run on your dog, while possibly more expensive than
boosters in some clinics, are cheaper in the long run than treating
immune mediated illnesses that can be fatal. Comparison studies
continue as to the how long dogs retain immune status after initial
vaccines and first boosters. Your best ally in protecting your dog
will be your own veterinarian but you may need to have frank
discussion with your vet to come to an agreed upon policy for giving
boosters or using titers. The current stated protocol for core
vaccines (distemper, parvo,
adenovirus
and rabies)
is every three years but expect that time frame to be extended
as research supporting lasting immunity reaches the veterinary
journals. Titers are the safe course to follow.
Please note that articles on
diseases that are immune mediated are indicated
on the index page of this web site
by a * beside the title.
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