Titre Test Results

[Kobi'sDaisy]

Hey all, we decided to have our dog titre tested this year. We have just gotten the results with a high level of pavo but a limited level of distemper. Just wondering if this was a normal result as I would have thought if he had built up immunity to one he would have with the other?

Unfortunately we now have to vaccinate for both as apparently the vaccine is mixed together.

Any information or experiences would be great, it's been quite interesting to me to get the results even if we now have to vaccinate!

[piper]

There is a thread in the health section if you do a search but my understanding is distemper is usually a lot lower as the dogs do not encounter it nearly as often as parvo so their system is not challenged by it.

Others can explain it much better than me but basically if they have had recent contact with a disease their antibody level will be higher for that disease as the body reacts to it and creates the necessary antibodies. If they have not come into contact with that disease then the level will be lower.

eta: Last post on this page explains what I tried to describe Titre thread If you go to the health forum and search titre testing there are a lot of results, lots of threads with lots of information :)

Edited May 4, 2013 by piper

[ness]

Thats my understanding to Piper. Its also my understanding that a low titre level doesn't necessarily mean the dog isn't covered. There is some school of thought that if the dog registers any level then they still have immunity.

Edited May 4, 2013 by ness

[Erny]

As per Piper's post. My boy came back with similar result - higher level antibodies against Parvo, lower level antibodies against Distemper. Fortunately we don't have a lot of distemper around as much as we used to see (*touch wood*) and consequently exposure is a lot less. My wording/interpretation : The antibodies floating around in preparedness for a certain disease take a rest when the threat hasn't been around for a good while. They recess into "cell memory" - when the dog is exposed to that disease the body has a memory for the antibodies that are required and begin to produce and release them back into the body as active antibodies.

[piper]

Yes my understanding of it is that any positive is enough due to the cell memory situation. The trouble will probably be convincing the local dog club or kennel that it is ok, especially if it states anywhere revaccination is recommended.

[DeltaCharlie]

Interestingly enough, I have only ever had >80 results back for both parvo and distemper. The parvo I can understand as they are exposed to it a fair bit through all the trialling we do, I didn't think distemper was all that common though so it surprises me every time it comes back like that.

2008

Delta and Charlie both >80 for both P&D

2012

Delta, Charlie and Whip all >80 for both P&D

[moosepup]

What were his results KB? As others said a low result might just mean he hasn't been exposed recently, the fact that he has some response is good. I personally wouldn't necessarily vacc straight away based on a low result unless you need to for show/trial purposes. :)

Mine were tested a couple months ago, anything over 40 being considered adequate...

Moose - last vacc 2010 - Parvo 320, D & H both 56

Zoe - last vacc 10+ years ago - Parvo 160

The D&H are as expected as I don't think there have been any cases in my area in recent times.

[Kobi'sDaisy]

Hey guys, thank you everyone for replying, I have just gotten around to getting the results in a little more detail (she did not give me actual figures just where they are in the table).

Pavo was between 1-1600 so really high and definitely don't have to vaccinate.

Distemper was only 1-8, not the least amount of anti-bodies which is 1-2 but quite low.

Unfortunately my vet couldn't test for hepatitis although she said she would have expected it to come with similar results for distemper.

I understand distemper would have been lower as there are hardly any cases/chances for him to be around it. Now just not sure what to do going forward with vaccinations. The thing it to vaccinate for distemper I would have to vaccinate for pavo also as they are a combined injection.

I just know I wouldn't forgive myself if I didn't vaccinate and then something happened.

Thoughts from the more experienced?

[moosepup]

I personally wouldn't vaccinate as long as they had some response in the test as it most likely just means they haven't been exposed to the disease recently but they still have antibodies.

Ask your vet how many distemper cases they've seen in the last few years and what your risk level is. I bet they've seen very very few and most cases are probably in dogs that have never been vaccinated. It's very rare in Australia but there are occasional outbreaks.

Edited May 25, 2013 by moosepup

[Guest]

Hey guys, thank you everyone for replying, I have just gotten around to getting the results in a little more detail (she did not give me actual figures just where they are in the table).

Pavo was between 1-1600 so really high and definitely don't have to vaccinate.

Distemper was only 1-8, not the least amount of anti-bodies which is 1-2 but quite low.

Unfortunately my vet couldn't test for hepatitis although she said she would have expected it to come with similar results for distemper.

I understand distemper would have been lower as there are hardly any cases/chances for him to be around it. Now just not sure what to do going forward with vaccinations. The thing it to vaccinate for distemper I would have to vaccinate for pavo also as they are a combined injection.

I just know I wouldn't forgive myself if I didn't vaccinate and then something happened.

Thoughts from the more experienced?

I know you can get Parvo only vaccination! Because I managed to get one for Pepper. It took a while to get this vaccine, and some vets were not interested at all in helping me source it. But I got lucky in the end (3 vets in Inner West, Sydney). Didn't have Pepper vaccinated for distemper, though. He had some serious reaction to his puppy vac., and I try to avoid vacs if possible. With distemper, I am just taking my chances...

Edited May 25, 2013 by Guest

[luvsdogs]

Have you looked at Dr Jean Dodds website. She's done all the research on vaccines & I think it where I read that as long as they show a reading they have cover.

[Erny]

Have you looked at Dr Jean Dodds website. She's done all the research on vaccines & I think it where I read that as long as they show a reading they have cover.

That's what I'm inclined to believe too. Immunity is immunity. Period. Dog has it, or not. It's not a matter of how much the dog is immune, IMO. I don't think it works that way. I can only think that the ratio's begin to reduce when the immunity has not been tested by exposure to the disease. And then I believe the antibodies subside but that cell-memory applies.

[moosepup]

Have you looked at Dr Jean Dodds website. She's done all the research on vaccines & I think it where I read that as long as they show a reading they have cover.

That's what I'm inclined to believe too. Immunity is immunity. Period. Dog has it, or not. It's not a matter of how much the dog is immune, IMO. I don't think it works that way. I can only think that the ratio's begin to reduce when the immunity has not been tested by exposure to the disease. And then I believe the antibodies subside but that cell-memory applies.

That's what I believe too and as long as they have a result I won't vaccinate. :)