Vaccines have become an important debate in the healthcare industry for both humans and animals. While there are still many reasons for vaccines, consideration should be given when deciding what vaccines to give and how often to give them. Luckily for our dogs, we have vaccine titers (a test to tell you whether a previous vaccine is still working) to help us make these important decisions.
Over-vaccination in our dogs has long been shown to have devastating affects on the health of our beloved pets. For years we’ve been getting annual reminders to update our dog’s vaccinations, but is it really necessary to do so? More importantly, is it safe? Recent studies have actually shown that neither proves to be the case.
Area is a Factor
The area you live in and the places you travel are factors that play into what vaccines your dog needs and when. For example, parvovirus is a deadly disease that can take the life of many puppies no matter where you’re located. However, city dwellers that rarely leave their concrete jungles probably don’t need a Lyme vaccine. Therefore, when vaccinating a new puppy, make sure to do your research on what vaccines are really necessary for your location.
Age also a Factor
Age plays another factor – all puppies should receive vaccines, but what about older dogs? If a dog had a full set of vaccines when he was a baby, does he really need them every year? Chances are he doesn’t. Because of this, veterinary diagnostic labs are now offering vaccine titer testing to determine whether or not your dog is still protected under his last set of vaccines. A titer test is a blood test that measures the antibodies in your dog’s blood against certain viruses we vaccinate against. This basically means that we can get an actual answer as to whether your not your dog is still immune to the disease after receiving vaccines. Titer tests, assuming they show immunity, are typically recommended every three years.
While some veterinary professionals worry that these tests are not accurate, studies have shown that once a dog reaches a stable vaccine titer, it is likely to remain that way for years. This means that our pets are likely going to be immunized their entire lives. While no state allows rabies to be tittered in lieu of re-vaccination, it is recommended to titer test for all other major diseases rather than continue annual vaccinations. Studies have shown that an average of 92-98% of dogs that receive adequate puppy vaccinations will remain protected for life.
