How do I know if my dog needs to be vaccinated?
April 10, 2011 • Trends • Health & Wellness •
Info provided by Fetching Communications
How do you know if a dog has been vaccinated properly?
We all know routine administration of vaccines in dogs has been one of the most significant factors in the consistent reduction of serious canine infectious diseases.
Pet parents and vets alike understand that routine vaccinations results in excellent disease control for infections which can cause poor health and even death. Thoughts of hepatitis or canine adenovirus, parvovirus and distemper used to scare pet parents to death, but we rest a bit easier now knowing that we’ve vaccinated our dogs properly against these three diseases.
Although most veterinarians agree vaccines are necessary, the frequency in which vaccines are administered is debated. Vaccines are largely safe, and are intended to improve the health and welfare of animals, but when side effects from vaccines occur in a dog that might or might not have even needed the vaccine in the first place, problems can arise.
After vaccination for the three core diseases (hepatitis/canine adenovirus, parvovirus and distemper) dogs often maintain protective antibodies for three or more years.
The question:
What about rescue dogs or other dogs with an unknown vaccination history? How do we know a dog needs to be vaccinated or re-vaccinated if we don’t have his or her vet records?
The answer:
Duration of immunity, or DOI, refers to the length of time an animal is able to resist disease. A dog’s antibody levels are relative to the DOI and can be checked or tested, sometimes known as “titer testing.” Antibody or titer tests, like Biogal’s VacciCheck, can be used to demonstrate the DOI after vaccination with core vaccines.
When an antibody is present, there is not a need to revaccinate the dog for the specific disease. If antibody is absent, the dog should be revaccinated, unless there is a medical reason not to vaccinate the dog.
In the past, the drawback in performing antibody tests was the cost and the time to obtain results. More often than not, titer testing required sending blood or serum to a lab which required a relatively expensive test. Results used to take days and had to come from a lab.
Veterinarians and pet parents, especially those who rescue dogs and often deal with unknown vaccination histories, have needed a rapid and cost-effective option for years.
A Concept Change:
Watch the YouTube dog video
Biogal’s VacciCheck is a rapid, simple, reliable and cost-effective antibody test, done at the veterinarian, which helps determine if a dog requires additional vaccination. The VacciCheck may protect the dog from unnecessary vaccination. It can also help determine the status of a dog with an unknown vaccination history or help determine if puppies have received immunity from vaccination. Results are generated within 21 minutes and a lab isn’t necessary.
