Keeping your dog or cat up to date with their vaccinations is highly recommended as its benefits far outweigh the cons. However, some pet owners still worry about over-vaccination, vaccination side effects and risks – which is completely UNDERSTANDABLE. The real question comes to whether you actually need to vaccinate your dog or cat annually.
Back to basics…
Vaccination schedule
Depending on the type of vaccine, frequency of boosters ranges from 1 to 3 years.
Keeping your dog or cat up to date with their vaccinations is highly recommended as its benefits far outweigh the cons.
Let’s look at the…
Mantra of vaccination
“The mantra is to vaccinate MORE individual pets (thus improving overall feline/canine “herd immunity”), but to vaccinate each individual pet as INFREQUENTLY as possible” [1]
Antibody Titer Test
This is when we need to look for healthier alternatives to vaccination. Super grateful that with the advancement in medical technology, we have the option of the Antibody Titer Test! It tests for the amount of antibodies (antibody titers) your pet has which may correspond to protection.
What does it test for?
Core viruses – pathogens found in core vaccines. In dogs, it tests for Canine Adenovirus, Canine Distemper and Canine Parvovirus. In cats, it tests for Feline Parvovirus, Feline Calicivirus and Feline Herpesvirus.
What does it not test for ?
- Disease caused by bacterial pathogens such as leptospirosis and bordetella (due to the shorter duration of immunity of about 6 to 12 months)
- Other non-core vaccine’s viruses (due to lack of studies to determine the level of antibodies required for protection)
As these pathogens are part of the non-core vaccines, it greatly depends on your pet’s lifestyle and thus its risk of contracting these diseases. Do speak to your vet whenever you are unsure which vaccines your pet should be covered for!
What is it best suited for?
When your dog or cat:
- Has history of adverse reaction to vaccines
- Has immune-mediated disease or cancer
- Is on immunosuppressive drugs like chemotherapeutic agents, steroids
- Has an unknown vaccination history
Benefits
Prevents:
- Feline Injection Site Sarcoma (FISS) (very rare!)
- Allergic reactions to vaccines
- Auto-immune diseases
Why is it not as common as it should be?
- Lack of awareness – which are influenced by vaccine laws, outdated vet recommendations and swayed advertising.
- Most pet boarding facilities do not accept the titer test as proof – also due to lack of awareness
How does it work?
Final note
More and more clinics are offering the titer test as an option. You can always ring up a vet clinic to check if they do it!
Whether you decide to do an annual booster or antibody titer test, make a visit to your vet at least once a year. Because… besides just injecting the vaccine or drawing blood, your vet would perform a health examination prior.
It includes a check of your pet’s heart, lungs, teeth, joints, abdomen and body condition. Veterinarians can help detect early signs of diseases and sub-clinical diseases (diseases not presenting definite or observable symptoms) like diseases of the teeth, gums, ears, heart or lungs.
Reference
- Martin, R. (2021, January 29). Do vaccines cause cancer in cats? Vet Help Direct. Retrieved November 24, 2022, from https://vethelpdirect.com/vetblog/2021/01/29/do-vaccines-cause-cancer-in-cats/