# Vaccine/Titer Questions



## kburrow11 (Jan 31, 2014)

So, Vida's first birthday is coming up soon, and with that are booster vaccines.
My questions are this:

Does she need to have the 1-year booster vaccines prior to using a titer test for future years or should she still have immunity (checked with a titer test)?

How expensive are titers usually?

How often should a titer test be done?

Has anyone heard of/had their vet use Vaccicheck or TiterCHEK (in-office titer checks) and what is their general rate of accuracy?

Thank you! I really don't want to over vaccinate Vida.


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## JeanKBBMMMAAN (May 11, 2005)

Antibody Titer Testing as a Guide for Vaccination in Dogs and Cats | The SkeptVet

He also has some posts on vaccines. 

I always do rabies. I do not care how old, in my state, no vaccine and a dog or cat gets bit by something rabid (biggies here are raccoons, bats, and cats) and they aren't vaccinated, or are overdue and that animal is either going to a 6 month isolation or pts. I didn't just read a website, I went to the governing authority in my county for these matters to discuss what they do to confirm. So everyone gets the rabies booster, the other boosters at another time and are then on a 3 year rotation for the rabies, distemper/parvo, and the latter is phased out as they age. 

Depending on how things are in your location, there may not be enough pets vaccinated (like in some areas of the south) to diminish distemper/parvo, so watch for that. 

This year I'm considering doing Lepto because there have been a number of deaths here locally, it's contagious in groups of animals, zoonotic, and can be difficult on the animal/expensive to treat. 

That's just how I do things, plus a good science based link to read!


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

Seger is due for his 1 yr. I"m going to titer for parvo/distemper, vaccinate for rabies. We don't have a Lepto issue locally but we have an overwhelming Lyme issue so I will take him to a different vet to get the Nobivac Lyme vaccine.

Jax is due for rabies. I titered her at 4 yrs so she's due for a titer as well and due for her booster for Lyme.


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## Palydyn (Aug 28, 2014)

Thanks JeanKBBMMMAAN for the SkeptVet article. The best explanation on vaccines and titer I have ever read. A wealth of information there. This site is such a resource.


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## kburrow11 (Jan 31, 2014)

Thanks for the info! But does anyone know the answers to these questions?

How expensive are titers usually?

Has anyone heard of/had their vet use Vaccicheck or TiterCHEK (in-office titer checks) and what is their general rate of accuracy?


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## Chip18 (Jan 11, 2014)

kburrow11 said:


> Thanks for the info! But does anyone know the answers to these questions?
> 
> How expensive are titers usually?
> 
> Has anyone heard of/had their vet use Vaccicheck or TiterCHEK (in-office titer checks) and what is their general rate of accuracy?


It's $95 to $100 to test out here. Dayton NV I have heard of the two you listed but no first hand experience.


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

Last time I paid for titers it was $75 for the parvo and distemper. $75 for a rabies titer. Send to Auburn Univ.


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## mspiker03 (Dec 7, 2006)

My vet gives the 3 year parvovirus/distemper vax (3 way) at a year and titers after that. New this past year, she titers after the puppy shots to make sure they took.

She does in house titers and I think they are in the $70 range (I don't have the receipt handy and I forget the exact price).


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## shepherdmom (Dec 24, 2011)

Chip18 said:


> It's $95 to $100 to test out here. Dayton NV I have heard of the two you listed but no first hand experience.


Which vet do you use? Last time I checked it was closer to $200 but my vet is in Fernley.


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## Chip18 (Jan 11, 2014)

shepherdmom said:


> Which vet do you use? Last time I checked it was closer to $200 but my vet is in Fernley.


It's Dayton Riverside Veterinarian clinic.


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## JeanKBBMMMAAN (May 11, 2005)

Paladyn, I like all the research of the science he does to get the info in a format that is fairly readable!

Vacci-check accuracy was referenced in the link.


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## Momto2GSDs (Mar 22, 2012)

Here are the actual charges from HemoPet but your vet will add a charge on top of this for blood draw and shipping costs: https://labordatenbank.com/cake/hemopet/samples/hemopet_form


Distemper & Parvo Vaccine Titers
$ 52.00
Rabies Titer RFFIT (Not for travel) Measures response to rabies vaccinations.
$ 98.00
FAVN - Rabies (for pet travel to Rabies free countries or regions) Please include separate FAVN form with sample.
$ 120.00

My dogs only had one Parvo and one Distemper in their lifetime with the agreement of my holistic vet (they are 6 and 8 1/2 years old now). They are titered for this every year and they are still retaining high antibodies which, *for me*, further proves the study below.

Dr. Ron Schultz's study results:
*Minimum Duration of Immunity for Canine Vaccines:*
Distemper- 7 years by challenge/15 years by serology
Parvovirus – 7 years by challenge/ 7 years by serology
Adenovirus – 7 years by challenge/ 9 years by serology
Canine rabies – 3 years by challenge/ 7 years by serology
Dr. Schultz concludes: “Vaccines for diseases like distemper and canine parvovirus, once administered to adult animals, provide lifetime immunity.” “Are we vaccinating too much?” JAVMA, No. 4, August 15, 1995, pg. 421. Lifelong Immunity - Why Vets Are Pushing Back - Dogs Naturally Magazine 


The following vaccine protocol is by Dr. Jean Dodds of HemoPet
9-10 Weeks Old: Distemper + Parvovirus, MLV (e.g. Merck Nobivac [Intervet Progard] Puppy DPV)
14-16 Weeks: Same as above
20 Weeks or Older (if allowable by law): Rabies
1 Year: Distemper + Parvovirus, MLV *(OPTIONAL *= titer)
1 Year: Rabies, killed* 3-year product* 
(*give 3-4 weeks apart from distemper/parvovirus booster)*

Perform vaccine antibody titers for distemper and parvovirus every three years thereafter, or more often, if desired. Vaccinate for rabies virus according to the law, except where circumstances indicate that a written waiver needs to be obtained from the primary care veterinarian. In that case, a rabies antibody titer can also be performed to accompany the waiver request. See the Rabies Challenge Fund website.
W. Jean Dodds, DVM
Hemopet / NutriScan
11561 Salinaz Avenue
Garden Grove, CA 92843

Hope this helps!
Moms


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## kburrow11 (Jan 31, 2014)

Momto2GSDs said:


> Hope this helps!
> Moms


Thank you! This is exactly the information I was looking for!


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## Momto2GSDs (Mar 22, 2012)

kburrow11 said:


> Thank you! This is exactly the information I was looking for!


......


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