Titre Testing is not a new thing indeed, it has been readily available for many years but hasn't been actively promoted until recently.  This is mainly due to ongoing debates regarding over vaccinating (the yearly booster) as more and more people are now opting for Titre Testing instead of blindly vaccinating their pets.  Every day more evidence is coming to light (although some of us have always suspected) that not only can pets have an allergic reaction to boosters, it is widely thought that they can also lead to several ongoing conditions, namely Auto Immune Disorders and Skin Complaints which can in some cases, prove fatal!

What Is A Titre Test?
Put simply, it's a blood test used to measure the antibody levels in your animals immune system.  If you have a high titre result, chances are you won't need to vaccinate although Leptospira or Canine Parainfluenza are not included because these vaccines do not elicit the antibodies needed for detection.

What Happens?
Your vet takes a little blood from your pet then sends it away to a laboratory for testing.  When the results are known your vet will contact you and advise you what to do next.  If the results are favourable you won't have to vaccinate, if the results aren't so good, you will need to vaccinate.
Please note that it is advisable to give the Leptospira and Parainfluenza vaccinations as and when the vaccine protocols deem fit.

Is It Worth It?
I'd say yes as doing a Titre Test can indicate that your pet doesn't need a booster which not only saves you a little money but could also save your pet from an ongoing health problem.  However, if the results come back stating that your pet has little or no immunity, then it is avisable that booster.  We are very lucky to have access to Titre Testing as it cuts down the on the risk involved, a risk that could prove disastrous through time as many guardians will testify.  It's all a matter of choice or risk assessment.

I'm Still Not Sure!
That's okay, we all want to do what's right for our pets, we have also been told for many years that we must vaccinate yearly so it's hard to go against what previously seemed like sound advice.   Many guardians are now putting their faith in Homeopathic Nosodes, even boarding kennels and training classes are accepting pets that have been treated using Nosodes so it is worth thinking about however, yet again there's a problem with these as to date, there hasn't been a valid scientific study carried out on pets treated this way to prove whether they do or don't work but at least they can't do any harm.

A typical interpretation of a titre test result.

At the end of the day the decision is yours but hopefully you'll be in a better position to ask questions and make a more informed choice.

Liz A Woods