Titer testing – tailored vaccination
Titer testing in puppies
Shortly after birth, puppies receive antibodies through their mother's first milk (colostrum), which protect them against infectious and fatal diseases. These so-called maternal antibodies are temporary and gradually disappear, but may remain in the puppies' blood for up to 20 weeks or longer. However, if the mother dog has no or too few antibodies, the puppies will not receive them through the colostrum and will be unprotected! It is important to protect the puppies at the right time with a vaccination that stimulates the production of antibodies, providing lasting immunity.
The purpose of vaccination is to make dogs immune to certain diseases. However, it is a misconception to think that all vaccinated animals are actually protected. Vaccines do not always take in young animals that are still protected by maternal antibodies. Puppies are usually vaccinated at 6, 9 and 12 weeks. They then receive a final vaccination at one year of age, and are vaccinated every 3 years thereafter against infectious hepatitis, parvo and distemper. Most puppies are vaccinated several times because maternal antibodies can prevent a vaccination from taking. By administering a vaccine regularly every 3 weeks, there is a chance that one will take. The problem is that most puppies receive their last vaccination at 12 weeks. Since maternal immunity can last until 20 weeks, and sometimes even longer, the vaccination may not take, meaning there is a high chance they will be unprotected until their next vaccination, which is given at 1 year of age.
People then wrongly assume that their dog is fully protected by this vaccination, even though it is still at risk of contracting and spreading diseases. They go unprotected to dog training classes, boarding kennels, shows and competitions, animal events, dirty dog-walking areas, and so on.
Titer test
The most commonly used titre test is VacciCheck. It is reliable and can be performed by veterinarians who use VacciCheck in their practice. Only a very small drop of blood is needed, and the result is available within half an hour. The vet must indicate in the vaccination record how long the dog is protected for, which determines the validity period of the certificate. There is also a new way to measure antibody titres: a few drops of blood are placed on a test device and read by a transponder after a few seconds.
The following diseases are titre-tested for:
1) Infectious hepatitis
Infectious hepatitis is a highly contagious liver inflammation that affects dogs. The disease is caused by the CAV-1 virus. This virus is spread mainly through the urine of dogs infected with the disease. The inflammation affects the dog’s liver. It is especially dangerous for young dogs. In cases where the disease progresses rapidly, the dog may die without showing any symptoms. In cases where it progresses slowly, the following symptoms may be observed:
- diarrhea
- jaundice
- fever
- eye inflammation
- corneal swelling
- drinking and urinating more
- reduced appetite
The high fever that can result from inflammation of the liver is an especially dangerous aspect of this disease and can ultimately lead to death. Thanks to vaccination, the disease is now very rare here. However, with the many dogs arriving from abroad, we must remain alert to it. Vaccination may not always be handled properly for dogs from abroad, and their passports may not be completed accurately, so it is especially important to know their vaccination status. This matters not only for the dogs themselves, but also for those around them.
2) Parvo
Canine parvo has only been around since 1978 and is a viral disease that primarily affects a dog’s digestive system. Dogs infected with parvo have very little chance of survival. A dog only has to sniff the feces of an infected dog for the disease to spread. The parvovirus then causes intestinal inflammation, resulting in the following three symptoms:
- vomiting (including blood in the vomit);
- foul-smelling, bloody diarrhoea;
- Severe temperature fluctuations: feverish or extremely cold when the dog is dying, because the virus is already at an advanced stage.
Parvovirus targets cells that are dividing. In your dog, these are mainly found in the gastrointestinal tract, but in young dogs the heart muscle cells are still dividing too. This can lead to fatal heart problems. Parvo has never disappeared completely and is still very common here. This is a virus you absolutely do not want your dog to catch.
3) Distemper
Distemper is a viral disease that causes inflammation of the intestines and meningitis. It is also known as canine distemper or Carré’s disease and is highly contagious. The disease can be transmitted directly from an infected dog or indirectly through feces, urine and saliva.
The first symptoms are:
- apathy
- diarrhoea
- coughing
- runny nose
- sneezing
- eye inflammation
- sensitive paw pads and nose, which later thicken and become overgrown
Many of these symptoms may seem fairly harmless because they resemble the flu. That is precisely what makes the disease so dangerous. Canine distemper is one of the most dangerous diseases for dogs. After the initial symptoms, the dog can suddenly become very ill. Once the virus has affected the nervous system, it is usually too late for the dog. Half of all dogs that contract distemper do not survive.
Distemper certainly hasn't disappeared here, and there's also a risk that it may be brought into our countries, especially by dogs imported from abroad.
Show, boarding or competition
A positive antibody titre (recorded in the European pet passport) allows dogs to enter shows and boarding kennels or shelters. If the veterinarian confirms that the dog is adequately protected, the titre test and a statement from the veterinarian may be accepted as proof of sufficient vaccination. The veterinarian must state in the vaccination record how long the dog is protected for; this determines the validity period of the statement, according to Raad van Beheer, Dibevo, KNMvD, NVWA and KMSH.
