# Titers and blood work



## Herzo (Feb 5, 2011)

So I went back to the vet Tue. Turtles ears are better but the bacteria is not killed yet. I am going to have her put under next Tue. and her ears cleaned and they can get a good look at the ear drums. While I was there I had them take blood for a blood panel and am also going to check her rabies level.

I had to come clean about that I had not given her a rabies shot because of the ear problem. She (the vet) took it quiet well. She couldn't understand why I would want a rabies titer until I came clean about it. It would have been much more costly to have done the titers for the parvo and distemper because they have to go to two different labs. They get you coming and going. So I'm just checking the rabies to see where she's at since she has not had one for some time. I have been looking back into my old vet bills and can not find where I have given her a rabies ever.

I got her in March of 2006 and I know she had her shots in 2005 as I had checked on that when I got her can't remember the date, I stupidly didn't right it down. Any way I did give her DA2P-PV in 5/16/07 I'm not sure why if I knew she had one in 2005. I think because I didn't know the history before that. I have been going around 3 years for these. The first date I have for the ear problem is 7/27/09 I think I was trying to clear it up on my own for a time. I think it started in 08 that's why I didn't get the rabies as I wasn't going to make it worse. Then the ears just got real bad. So it looks like she hasn't had a rabies shot for 6 years and I told them 5, oh well. 

Just thought some of you might be interested in knowing how much protection is in her if any after that amount of time. Didn't know if any one else has ever done this. I know maybe it's bad but I wasn't to worried that she would bit someone. But I do want her protected and will get a shot as soon as I can get her ears healed up.


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## schtuffy (May 17, 2010)

Well...rabies vaccines last 7-8 years, if not longer. Most of us vaccinate for it because we have to by law. Here in MD it's required every 3 years, so that's what I do. Some clinics push to do it every year, even though the law doesn't require it :frown: If it weren't for the state requirement, I wouldn't be getting it so often. Let us know how the titers come out!


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## Herzo (Feb 5, 2011)

Yea it's every 3 years here as well. I just thought it would be interesting to know what the level is as most of us do it every 3 years because of the law. And I've heard it lasts much longer also but have never had my own proof of it. So thought it would be nice to know. When my last 2 bassets got older I stopped giving them there rabies shots but never did get them tested. I can kind if get away with it because it's fairly safe with a basset not to bit, though I never say never. And I live in the country so I don't have to have a city tag that would require proof of rabies vac. I'm not so sure I will take the chance with the bigger dogs though maybe the Bullmastiff because I can't see her biting she won't even put her teeth on us.


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## RawFedDogs (Jun 16, 2008)

Contrary to popular belief, Titers is not a test for immunity. It's tests for antibodies which is different. A dog can be immune w/ no antibodies against a certain disease. I give my dogs puppy shots and nothing else ever again. I don't worry about titers I don't worry about immunity. I know they have had their shots and they are immune. If they aren't, another shot won't make them immune.


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## Herzo (Feb 5, 2011)

There were 2 different tests. They couldn't tell me the difference in them and thought this one would do the trick. What is the difference, and how would you know if your dog can't get it then? What about the test on the other things is that a waist as well? You would think there would be some way to tell if the dog had an immunity. How would the people like Jean Dodds (I think that's her name) going to make a case if they have no proof?


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## RawFedDogs (Jun 16, 2008)

It's not a total waste. If the titers comes back positive then it means that your dog is immune. If it doesn't then it tells you nothing. So titers doesn't give you a "yes-no" answer, it gives you a "yes-maybe". The only way to tell for sure is to inject the dog with the disease and see if it gets sick. Of course, thats not very practical but thats how they do it in the rabies challenge test. Rabies vaccine was proven to be effective for 7 1/2 years through a challenge test on several dogs. I can't remember how many. The dogs were injected with the rabies virus 7 1/2 years after they had their last or only rabies vaccination. They didn't get rabies. I think they are working on a 10 year test now but of course that takes 10 years.


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## Herzo (Feb 5, 2011)

So is the distemper and parvo the same? It will just tell you if they are immune? Which is really the only thing we are worried about any way. Thanks for the reply.

Also maybe that's why they wanted to know how long it had been because they are trying to keep a track of how long the immunity lasts. We can hope.


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## Boxerdogz (Feb 15, 2011)

RawFedDogs said:


> It's not a total waste. If the titers comes back positive then it means that your dog is immune. If it doesn't then it tells you nothing. So titers doesn't give you a "yes-no" answer, it gives you a "yes-maybe". The only way to tell for sure is to inject the dog with the disease and see if it gets sick. Of course, thats not very practical but thats how they do it in the rabies challenge test. Rabies vaccine was proven to be effective for 7 1/2 years through a challenge test on several dogs. I can't remember how many. The dogs were injected with the rabies virus 7 1/2 years after they had their last or only rabies vaccination. They didn't get rabies. I think they are working on a 10 year test now but of course that takes 10 years.


Really then why do we have to give it every year... grr! What a scam. Do you have a link or something so I can print this and show it to my vet??


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## RawFedDogs (Jun 16, 2008)

Herzo said:


> So is the distemper and parvo the same? It will just tell you if they are immune? Which is really the only thing we are worried about any way. Thanks for the reply.


Not exactly ... if the Titers says they are immune then they definately are ... if the Titers does not say they are immune and they have been vaccinated before then they probably still are immune but there is a small posibility they aren't.


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## RawFedDogs (Jun 16, 2008)

Boxerdogz said:


> Really then why do we have to give it every year... grr! What a scam. Do you have a link or something so I can print this and show it to my vet??


Your vet already knows it, I'm sure. There was a link passed around several years ago but I can't find it right now. Here is a link with some helpful information if you didn't see it in the other thread.

Catherine O’Driscoll | Purdue Vaccine Study


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## Paws&Tails (Sep 3, 2010)

Does anyone know if you can submit a titer test in place of a rabies shot?? Or does it depend on where you live? Where I live the law is a rabies shot _every_ year, which is much worse than every three years. 

I'm currently trying to get a waiver for all of my cats because they have FIV and have been vaccinated for it 4 times already. I honestly think this is going to take some fighting to get, at least with my current vet. I may have to try and find a holistic vet....


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## RawFedDogs (Jun 16, 2008)

It depends on where you live. I'm sure if you look on the bottle of vaccine it says only for healthy animals.


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