[Cyndi]

Hi everyone! I have some questions about titering / titer testing? I don’t know the correct terms and I don’t know a whole lot about it or getting it done. It will be a year next Saturday since I adopted my Bailey, and I am starting to get those postcards in the mail saying she’s due for vaccinations, which I am against. I guess my main question is do I just tell my vet that I want her to do a “titer” on her? & is there just one test that will tell me results for all the different diseases if Bailey has immunity to them? I am really confused, but I don’t want my vet to know that. I want to walk in there and tell her what I want done, I don’t want the vet saying that Bailey needs this or that and I HAVE to get the vaccinations.

Any help will be greatly appreciated!

[Cyndi]

Oh, and one more thing, do I NEED to get the titer test now? She was picked up as a stray like 4 months before I adopted her and I know she had shots at the shelter and she got other vaccinations at the vet right after I adopted her. So, would it make sense to do the titer test now or wait?

[theBCnut]

I don’t know what the rabies laws are where you live, but if you don’t have to have them but every three years then that would be a good time to think about titering. Wait a minute, is this her shots that are due at 1 yr? My vet is not vaccs crazy, but still recommends getting the 1 yr vacc. I really don’t know how important it is. Since Shawna and HDM both post in the reviews, it might be a good idea to ask on “off topic.”

[Cyndi]

Bailey is about 2 and a half and the vaccines that they are saying she’s due for are Bordatella and DHPP. When I got her, they did give her a 3 yr. rabies shot, so she’s good for that.

Thanks Patty, I’ll post it over in the off topic thread too.

[Mom2Cavs]

I will just tell you what I do. I do go to a holistic vet where they do titers as the norm. Every year my dogs go in for blood to be drawn. It is sent to a lab and takes about 2 weeks to get back. It will tell us if the dog is immune to the normal diseases they get shots for. I’ve been titering for 2 years now and so far each dog has been immune and not needed to be vaccinated. Now, my vet does not titer for Rabies (you can, but it’s much more expensive) and because it’s required by law to have the shot, we do get a rabies shot every 3 years where I live. Lucy, however, will never get anymore shots, though, because of her cancer. Also, my vet doesn’t titer for bordatella and leaves that up to the owner to decide if they want it. I do give the nasal bordatella to the Cavaliers because they do Therapy Dog work and are around quite a few different dogs when we have get togethers, parades, etc. So far it hasn’t been a problem, though I may discontinue giving it because my vet says it doesn’t cover all the strains anyway. I am so glad I switched to my holistic vet and started doing this! My old vet wanted dogs vaccinated yearly (with 3 yr. rabies) without question, even when Stella (rip dear one) had a reaction one year he wanted to continue giving all vaccines to her. I sadly admit to doing what he wanted. Never again! I love my vets I have now!

• This reply was modified 11 years, 4 months ago by Mom2Cavs.

[neezerfan]

Try calling the office and asking if the vet will do titer testing for your dog. That will at least give you an idea of the vet’s policy. Then at least you know where you stand.

[InkedMarie]

I responded on DFA but I will here, too. Make sure before your appointment that your vet does titering. I had a vet who didn’t believe in titering but would do it anyway. No thanks. I want a vet who understands & believes in titering to do it.

[Cyndi]

Thanks Jan & Marie. I responded to you guys in the off topic section, where I also posted my questions. Thanks for your help!

& neezerfan, I will do that, thank you. I’m gonna call my vet first thing in the morning & find out.

[theBCnut]

I forgot to share this last Friday after Gideon’s vet appointment. One of our local vets had a fatal lepto case not long ago. It has frightened the other local vets. The dog was vacc. with the new Lepto4, but got lepto anyways. As you all know, there are several serovars of lepto and the vacc. only covers 4 of them, but this was one of the covered serovars. At this time, they do not know if this was an immunity problem or if this strain has proved resistance to vacc immunization. We’ve had several cases of lepto in our area, but this is the first one that they know was a vacc dog with the right vacc.

[Harpers Mom]

Patty, I know you said you live in Florida. As do I, what region are you in? I don’t think I’ve heard any cases in my area, Vaccinated or unvaccinated.

[theBCnut]

Space Coast. There have been incidences from several areas recently, to the point that the university sent out special bulletins to all the vets in the entire state urging them to stop using the old lepto vacc and start offering the new lepto vacc. My vet just got it a few days ago, right after they had a good lepto scare. We’ve actually had a lepto dog right up the road from me.

[Haywood U]

Is there a reason to avoid vaccinating? I’ve had 2 bad experiences, but always just assumed they were coincidence…..I’m not Jenny McCarthy 😉

Almost 7 years ago I took my dogs in for all their shots. A week later I took my oldest (11 1/2 at the time) back in for a grooming. When I picked her up I noticed a growth on her shoulder – vet said to just keep an eye on it. I had never noticed it before – she was the “cuddle” dog and got a lot of hugs from the whole family, and nobody ever noticed any sort of bumps or lumps on her. Later turned out to be cancer and eventually had to put her down – just couldn’t continue to pay for the drainings and surgeries.

Last year I took my oldest (almost 15) in for his shots and the vet gave him the “new” 4way – said we would have to bring him back in a week for the 2nd round (??). Later that day, or maybe the next day, he came down with a bout of vestibular disease. Never did take him back for that 2nd round. He’s been fine ever since, but he has always been healthy without so much as one bout of sickness……just seemed funny they happened so close together.

I’m far from a conspiracy theorist, but I always wondered if any of those were related to the vaccines.

[Amy R]

Dr. Jean Dodd has many articles on titer testing. Here is a link to one:

Amy

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