Asheville’s holistic veterinarian, Dr. Laurel Davis, says, “You’ll find pros and cons to the choice, but, to vaccinate or to not vaccinate: ultimately that’s up to you. Here’s some information I thought my readers might find helpful in making the decision.”
Dr. Laurel Davis, western NC natural veterinarian, offers Stories from a Holistic Veterinarian. With a clinic in downtown Asheville, NC. Dr. Laurel also offers animal health, lifestyle and vaccination advice for cats, dogs and their human friends across the country.
Have a question for Dr. Laurel? Send it in.Want comprehensive or detailed dog or cat advice? Schedule an Ask Dr. Laurel™ phone or Skype consultation.
To Vaccinate or Not to Vaccinate?
As western NC’s holistic veterinarian, it’s my job to say, we are our animal friends’ keepers and it is important to make educated and intentional decisions on their behalf.
You’ll find pros and cons to the decision, but, to vaccinate or to not vaccinate: ultimately that’s up to you. Here’s some information I thought my readers might find helpful in making the decision.
It is imperative to avoid vaccinating animals that are already protected.
Published studies in refereed journals show that 92 to 98% of dogs and cats that have been properly vaccinated develop good measurable antibody titers to the infectious agent measured. A simple and affordable way to prevent over-vaccination and the risk of contracting a life-threatening diseases, such as distemper, parvovirus and hepatitis in the dog or panleukopenia, calicivirus and rhinotracheitis in the cat, is to run titer tests.
What is a titer test?
A titer test is a simple blood test that measures a dog or cat’s antibodies to certain vaccine viruses (or other infectious agents). Titers accurately assess protection to the so-called “core” diseases, Distemper, Parvovirus, Rhinotracheitis, Calicivirus and Panleukopenia, enabling veterinarians to judge whether a booster vaccination is necessary. All canines and felines can have serum antibody titers measured instead of receiving vaccine boosters.
Currently, all states require rabies vaccines irregardless of your four-legged’s immune status against the rabies virus. This is because the rabies virus is zoonotic, meaning rabies can be transmitted from animal to human. If your buddy has had a severe reaction to the rabies vaccine in the past and is due for revaccination, ask your veterinarian about the possibility of running a rabies titer instead.
Once your four-legged friend’s antibody titers have stabilized, they are likely to remain that way for the rest of her life. Some of my clients will opt to titer for these diseases once every three years.
Want to know more about titers? I go into more detail in this post.
Shine On,
Dr. Laurel Davis is western NC natural veterinarian, offering phone and Skype consultations for animal lovers everywhere. Call 828-254-2221 or order an Ask Dr. Laurel™ phone or Skype session or bring your dog or cat to her downtown Asheville, NC clinic. Read more patient stories.
Get to know Dr. Laurel by reading her blog.
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