Dr. Karen Becker's article & interview with Dr. W. Jean Dodds on veterinary antibody titers: http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2013/11/04/antibody-titers.aspx?e_cid=20131104Z1_PetsNL_art_1&utm_source=petnl&utm_medium=email&utm_content=art1&utm_campaign=20131104Z1

"Dr. Dodds explained that certain diseases produce what we call 'sterile immunity.' Those diseases include distemper, parvo, and hepatitis in dogs, and panleukopenia in cats. When an animal is exposed to these diseases and recovers, or is vaccinated properly against them, the animal becomes immunized. ....
When an animal is properly vaccinated and becomes immunized, he receives sterile immunity, which is long lasting -- a minimum of seven to nine years, to a maximum of lifetime immunity -- as measured by titer tests. This means the pet cannot become infected, nor will he shed the virus should he be exposed."

"There are antibody titer levels, and there are things called immune memory cells, which remain for a lifetime. Even with low titer values following vaccination, pets may still be protected for up to a year or even longer by immune memory cells...Dr. Dodds explains that she’s not overly worried about a low distemper titer unless the pet is around wildlife. She does worry about parvo. If a parvo titer comes back negative on an ELISA and positive on an IFA, again, the results go to the animal’s vet so he or she can make the judgment call. But Dr. Dodds does discourage vets from delivering combination vaccines and recommends instead a single parvovirus vaccine booster. Single-agent vaccines are significantly less stressful to the body immunologically."

Dr. W. Jean Dodds videotaped interview on veterinary titers http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQrh34kHB7s .

http://drjeandoddspethealthresource.tumblr.com/post/58271237209/titer-vaccine-questions#.UoS6II0Vxux

Frequently Asked Questions about Titers and Vaccination Protocol by Dr. Dodds

We frequently receive questions regarding Dr. Dodds’ Canine Vaccination Protocol and thought we would put together a short FAQ to help your dog. We also invite you to explore the section tagged "Vaccines" “on our blog as we have several posts about specific vaccines, viruses, and titers.

Question: The breeder vaccinated before nine weeks of age. How do I start your vaccination protocol now?
Answer: Just continue with the regular minimum vaccine protocol of Distemper and Parvovirus at 9 and 14 weeks.

Question: It is difficult to find a veterinarian who gives only the DPV (Nobivac Puppy-DPv) per your vaccination protocol. Can you recommend a vet?
Answer: You or your veterinarian can purchase it online from such places as Revival Animal Health or KV Vet Supply. Your vet can then administer the shot.

Question: We purchased a puppy from a breeder who only vaccinates for Parvovirus. Should my dog also have Distemper?
Answer: Your dog does need a distemper virus shot – in fact two doses are needed 3-4 weeks apart. You can purchase it yourself. The only monovalent, single distemper shot on the market today is NeoVacc-D by NeoTech – available online from such places as Revival Animal Health or KV Vet Supply. (Note: you can also purchase a single shot of Parvovirus from the same places.)

Question: What kind of rabies vaccine should I get?
Answer: The rabies vaccine should be thimerosal (mercury) – free – i.e. Merial IMRAB TF.

Question: Are there any methods to stop the potential side effects of vaccine reactions?
Answer: You can pre-treat dogs with the oral homeopathics, Thuja and Lyssin, to help blunt any adverse effects of the rabies vaccine. For other vaccines, just Thuja is needed. These homeopathics can be given the day before, the day of, and the day after the vaccine. Some product protocols suggest a different regimen for them.

Question: Why won’t my state take my dog’s rabies titer test so he can avoid the vaccine?
Answer: At this time, no state will accept a rabies titer in lieu of the shot. Additionally, a rabies titer does not satisfy any state’s medical exemption clause. For a list of states with medical exemptions, please visit The Rabies Challenge Fund http://www.RabiesChallengeFund.org. There are currently 18 states that officially recognize exemptions from rabies booster, but only on a justified case-by-case basis and following the specific requirements of that state.

Question: What is the point of a rabies titer test if my state won’t accept it as a medical exemption?
Answer: There are two reasons:
1) Rabies titer results are required by many rabies-free countries or regions in order for dogs and cats to qualify for a reduced quarantine period prior to entry. Some of these regions are Hawaii, Guam, Japan, St. Kitts and Nevis, Australia, New Zealand, France, and the United Kingdom. Always check with the destination authority to verify the pet importation.
2) The CDC states that a rabies titer of 0.1 IU/mL or higher is acceptable to protect a person from rabies. Further, the results of the 5-year Rabies Challenge Fund Study showed that immunologic memory for rabies vaccination remains at or above that level of immunity. This information is helpful for pet guardian peace-of-mind in areas where clinical rabies cases occur, and the dog or cat is medically exempt from further rabies boosters.

Question: Every year, the titer shows them as low on their distemper antibodies. What should I do?
Answer: I do suggest titer testing your dog every three years for both distemper and parvovirus.

Additionally, any measurable titer to either distemper & parvovirus means that the dog has specific committed immune memory cells to respond and afford protection upon exposure. If your dogs consistently have no measurable titer to canine distemper virus, it means mean that they are distemper “non-or low-responders”, an heritable trait where they will never mount immunity to distemper and will always be susceptible. These dogs should not be used for breeding.

As non-or low-responders to distemper are rare (1:5000 cases), my suggestion is that you retest at least one of them at Hemopet.

Question: My veterinarian believes anytime dogs are in contact with water that they are at HIGH risk for contracting leptospirosis.
Answer: Not so. Most Leptospirosis strains (there are about 200) do not cause disease, and of the seven clinically important strains, only four — L. icterohaemorrhagiae, L. canicola, L. grippotyphosa, and L. pomona serovars — are found in today’s vaccines. So, exposure risk depends upon which serovars of Lepto have been documented to cause clinical leptospirosis in the area where you live. You can call the county health department or local animal control and ask.

W. Jean Dodds, DVM
Hemopet / NutriScan
11561 Salinaz Avenue
Garden Grove, CA 92843

Good update!

Great posts!

Glad to know they're useful! I have more, but am having problems posting for some reason, the body of the post doesn't appear, just my signature. Not sure what I'm doing wrong.

 Quote: Kris Christine

Glad to know they're useful! I have more, but am having problems posting for some reason, the body of the post doesn't appear, just my signature. Not sure what I'm doing wrong.

Ohhh .... don't put brackets in your post. Use parens or the curly brackets above the regular brackets.

 Quote: Connie Sutherland

 Quote: Kris Christine

Glad to know they're useful! I have more, but am having problems posting for some reason, the body of the post doesn't appear, just my signature. Not sure what I'm doing wrong.

Ohhh .... don't put brackets in your post. Use parens or the curly brackets above the regular brackets.

Thanks, Connie!!!

Avoid unnecessary vaccines with titer tests (Part III) by Dr. W. Jean Dodds 10/11/12 http://drjeandoddspethealthresource.tumblr.com/post/33393350071/vaccines-titer-testing-animals

In my last two posts, I discussed the potential side-effects (vaccinosis) of over-vaccinating our pets, and the difference between MLV (modified live) and killed vaccines. I cautioned that dogs and cats with immune-mediated diseases are especially vulnerable to vaccinosis, since over-vaccination places additional stress on their already compromised immune systems and has been linked to autoimmune disease. So, then, what is the solution to this dilemma? How can you protect your pet from over-vaccination and the risk of contracting a life-threatening disease at the same time? Fortunately, the solution is simple and affordable. Titer tests.

What is a titer test?

A titer test is a simple blood test that measures a dog or cat’s antibodies to vaccine viruses (or other infectious agents). For instance, your dog may be more resistant to a virus whereas your neighbor’s dog may be more prone to it. Titers accurately assess protection to the so-called “core” diseases (distemper, parvovirus, hepatitis in dogs, and panleukopenia in cats), enabling veterinarians to judge whether a booster vaccination is necessary. All animals can have serum antibody titers measured instead of receiving vaccine boosters. The only exception is rabies re-vaccination. There is currently no state that routinely accepts a titer in lieu of the rabies vaccine, which is required by law.

There are commercially available vaccine titer tests for dogs that can be performed in a laboratory or also in the veterinarian’s office for faster results. Several commercial and university veterinary diagnostic labs and Hemopet offer reliable titer testing for dogs, cats and horses.

What do I do if the titer shows that my pet has immunity?

If your pet’s titer levels show that an adequate immune memory has been established, you do not need to create the potential for vaccinosis by introducing unnecessary antigen, adjuvant, and preservatives into his body via booster vaccines. Instead, skip the boosters and have your dog re-titered in three years.

Are there downsides to titering?

There is no downside to titering your pet. However, be aware that some veterinarians may be resistant to performing titer tests in lieu of vaccination. These veterinarians are misinformed and incorrectly believe that measuring an animal’s serum antibody titers is not a valid method of determining his immunity to infectious diseases, or that this testing is too costly.

With all due respect to these professionals, this represents a misunderstanding of what has been called the “fallacy of titer testing,” because research has shown that once an animal’s titer stabilizes, it is likely to remain constant for many years. Properly immunized animals have sterilizing immunity (immunity that prevents further infection even when an animal is exposed) that not only prevents clinical disease but also prevents infection, and only the presence of antibody can prevent infection.

As stated by the eminent expert Ronald Schultz, DVM of the University of Wisconsin in discussing the value of vaccine titer testing, “You should avoid vaccinating animals that are already protected, and titer testing can determine if adequate, effective immunity is present. It is often said that the antibody level detected is ‘only a snapshot in time.’ That’s simply not true; it is more a ‘motion picture that plays for years.’”

Furthermore, protection as indicated by a positive titer result is not likely to suddenly drop off unless an animal develops a severe medical condition or has significant immune dysfunction. It’s important to understand that viral vaccines prompt an immune response that lasts much longer than the immune response elicited by contracting the actual virus. Lack of distinction between the two kinds of responses may be why some practitioners think titers can suddenly disappear.

What if the titer test is negative?

Interpreting titers correctly depends upon the disease in question. Some titers must reach a certain level to indicate immunity, but with the clinically important “core” diseases vaccines, the presence of any measurable antibody indicates protection.

A positive titer test result is fairly straightforward, but a negative titer test result can be more difficult to interpret. This is because a negative titer is not the same thing as a zero titer, and it doesn’t necessarily mean that the animal is unprotected. A negative result usually means that the titer has failed to reach a desired threshold antibody level, but a low titer may still mean that the dog is protected upon exposure, as it doesn’t reflect tissue levels of immunity.

What’s the bottom line on titers?

More than a decade of experience with vaccine titer testing and published studies in refereed journals show that 92 – 98% of dogs and cats that have been properly vaccinated develop good measurable antibody titers to the infectious agent measured. In general, serum antibody titers to the “core” vaccines along with any natural exposures last a minimum of 7 – 9 years, and likely are present for life. This corresponds with what we see clinically, as the number of cases and deaths due to these diseases has decreased significantly in the vaccinated population.

The bottom line is that using vaccine titer testing as a means to assess vaccine-induced protection will likely result in your pet avoiding needless and potentially harmful booster vaccinations. And that is a huge benefit for a simple blood test!