| Vaccination
Vaccination
Is there a
safer way?
By Shawn Messonnier,
DVM
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Why
use titer testing instead of just
vaccinating?
•
Decreased side effects –
Minor: fever, stiffness, joint soreness,
lethargy, decreased appetite.
Major: injection site sarcomas, collapse
with autoimmune hemolytic anemia (decreased
red blood cell count) or thrombocytopenia
(decreased platelet count), liver
failure, kidney failure, bone marrow
suppression, immune suppression, systemic
lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis,
food allergy, atopic dermatitis, glomerulonephritis/renal
amyloidosis (different types of immune
kidney diseases), seizures, bloating,
hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism.
• True holistic approach to
patient care.
• No wasted
vaccination.
• Focus on
true preventative health rather than
simply preventing only infectious
diseases.
• Pets are only
vaccinated with whatever is necessary
based upon titer testing (no more
“seven-in-one” shots for
every pet every year). |
While
titer testing is preferred by many holistic
veterinarians, it is not a perfect approach
either. The points below outline some
of the benefits of and barriers to titer
testing.
Benefits:
1. Easy to perform.
2. Inexpensive (usually under $50)
3. Gives us specific information about
each individual patient, allowing the
doctor and guardian to make
a rational and informed decision.
4. Replaces the current recommendation
for annual vaccination for every pet regardless
of actual need.
Barriers:
1. While inexpensive, the extra cost may
prohibit some guardians from taking advantage
of the testing.
2. Some diseases will not be titered;
rather, automatic immunization will still
be given. This is the case for the rabies
vaccine. The three-year rabies vaccine
(used by most if not all practitioners)
only needs to be given every three years.
Some states require more frequent immunization
regardless of the three-year duration
of immunity. These states may not accept
titer information and would still require
immunization, regardless of titer status.
3. Not all diseases produce a measurable
titer. For example, antibody levels have
been shown to correlate with protection
against canine distemper virus, canine
parvovirus, canine adenovirus, feline
panleukopenia virus, and Lyme's disease.
Serum titers do not correlate with protection
for the following diseases: kennel cough
(Bordetella bronchiseptica and parainfluenza),
canine coronavirus, feline enteric coronavirus,
and feline chlamydial infection. Cellular
immunity (rather than antibodies) provides
protection against feline rhinotracheitis
virus and feline infectious peritonitis
virus, making titers inaccurate in interpreting
protection for these diseases. Antibody
levels (IgG titers) do provide information
about protection against canine leptospirosis,
although immunity against this disease
following vaccination with inactivated
leptospirosis organisms is generally believed
to be short-lived (6-12 months). There
is still adequate protection due to the
cellular immunity the vaccines for these
diseases produce.
4. Titers, like vaccines, are not perfect.
There is no guarantee that a pet with
an adequate titer (or an annual vaccination)
will not become infected or become ill
with a disease. The titer only tells us
that the animal should have adequate antibodies
to fight off the infectious organism and
that she possesses the ability to mount
a secondary antibody response and fight
off the disease.
5. There is no agreed upon correct titer
level for determining protective titers;
the “correct” level varies
with the laboratory used and the type
of testing done.
While not perfect, I believe titer testing
is a better option than simply vaccinating
all pets every one to three years whether
or not they truly need immunization.
Talk with your doctor about this more
natural approach. By using vaccine titers,
you’ll truly be personalizing the
care you give your animal companion!
Dr. Messonnier is
the author of 8 Weeks to a Healthy Dog
and the award-winning The Natural Health
Bible for Dogs & Cats (Rodale Press).
His veterinary practice, Paws & Claws
Animal Hospital, is located in Plano,
Texas
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Published
in the August/September 2003 issue of
Animal Wellness Magazine
|
