This weeks' Hot Topic is all about Titer Testing versus Annual Booster Vaccinations.
Do you get those yearly "reminder" emails from your vet? The ones that let you know when your pet is due for their annual wellness exam, stool sample check, & annual booster vaccines?
I would be surprised if you don't get those reminders
(unless you work with a holistic vet, of course!).
What your vet probably isn't telling you is that those yearly vaccines may not be necessary and could be doing more harm than good.
And they probably aren't letting you know that 1) you have choice on which vaccines you do and when you do them* and 2) there is a safe & scientifically-proven alternative used to determine your pet's protection against disease called a titer test.
* Rabies is the only vaccination that is required by law, all of the others are your choice to give. Some places such as boarding and grooming facilities require other vaccines, however many accept titer test results since it proves that they are protected (same as they would be with a vaccine).
Chew on this:
It has always perplexed me that the logic from our human doctors and those of our animal doctors don't align when it comes to vaccinations (& diet, but don't get me started on that can of worms).
For those that choose to vaccinate their children, they usually vaccinated during infant & childhood and have various boosters during that time.
The major difference is that us humans don't continually get boosters year after year into adulthood. But the same isn't true for our pets who get annual booster vaccines.
My question to you is why can't the same logic be used for our pets, who by the way, have a much shorter lifespan? Especially noting that there is research showing they are often protected for a LIFETIME after receiving the initial vaccinations at a young age.
The answer most likely comes down to $$$ - but that is a whole other topic for a later date.
Why should this matter to you?
Our pets are being over-vaccinated year after year and there are real & known health risks to vaccinating yearly.
What are the harms of over-vaccination?
Weight Loss
Lethargy
Allergic Reactions (may lead to death)
Immunosuppression
Seizures
Allergies
Behavioral issues
The list goes on and on...
and on top of the risks...they do not guarantee protection against the disease.
Bringing back the connection to humans and our pets - just because you get the flu vaccination doesn't mean that you will be safe from getting it. Same idea with the vaccines our pets receive.
BUT...the good news is there is a solution to this problem;
you can both protect your pet from disease AND reduce the risk of over-vaccinating.
Let's learn more about the solution: Titer Testing
What is titer testing?
A titer test measures the presence of antibodies in the blood for specific diseases and is used to determine their immunity.
It is a lab test done with a simple blood draw at your vet that is then sent off to a lab (or done in their office) to be analyzed.
Without getting too scientific, antibodies are important in our body because they recognize and put into motion an immune response when a foreign entity tries to invade our system (i.e. disease).
Antibodies are created when an antigen - a virus or bacteria - enters the body and the immune system begins to fight it off to protect the body.
Essentially, these antibodies are what help fight infection and disease because they recognize a threat (antigen) and get to work fighting it.
When an animal gets a vaccination or is naturally exposed to a virus or bacteria, the body creates antibodies so that in the future they will recognize the threat early and neutralize it.
The titer test is able to measure the levels of antibodies in the body, which in turn can be used to estimate the immunity level to those diseases.
In simple terms, titer testing tells you if your pet is protected from a disease or not.
This all sounds great, but it's expensive... right?
This is a little bit dependent on where you live, what vet you go to, and where they send their samples to be analyzed.
For example, I had Archie's titer done and it was $30. Super reasonable and worth it since I saved money on doing needless vaccines that would be much pricier than that, plus for the obvious health reasons mentioned earlier.
My grandma on the other hand just yesterday was quotes $150 for the same test. They had told her they are working on finding a different lab to send the samples to that will make it more affordable but they don't have that yet.
In my opinion, it really isn't about the money aspect and you would easily save that
$150 by not having to vaccinate for the unnecessary years AND you won't be risking over-vaccinating.
In general, you should be able to find a vet near you that will charge under $100 for it, if not cheaper.
If more amazing pet parents like you continue asking for titer testing it will hopefully become more popular where vets decide to do it in their office which cuts the cost down.
Next, I want to share Archie's results so you can see for yourself what they look like.
Archie's sample was sent to Kansas State Veterinary Diagnostic Lab for reference.
Here are the results:
If you take a look at the "test interpretation" section it shows the minimum ratio that would indicate his immunity/protection from the disease. Comparing those to the results above it, you can see that his levels are well above those minimums, indicating his protection.
Because of those results...
...my vet let me know that it would be a minimum of 3 years before Archie would need another Distemper, Adenovirus, or Parvovirus vaccination.
She recommended after 3 years to get another titer to recheck the levels and determine if a booster will be needed at that point.
Think about that for a minute. If I had not known about titer testing and my vet had recommended the yearly boosters, Archie would have gotten at minimum 3 years worth of unnecessary vaccinations when he was already protected.
On top of that, we know that there are other chemicals and additives in the vaccinations that are linked to long term health issues that would be putting him at risk.
Side Note: Archie never received an Adenovirus vaccination, yet he shows ample protection against it. This goes to show that that level is actually due to natural immunity rather than a vaccine. Puppies and kittens get many of their initial antibodies passed down from their mother's milk and also just from natural exposure in their environment so you may find a vaccination to not be needed at all when you do a titer test. Pretty cool, right?!
Now that we have some of the basics down, let's do a little comparison of
Titer Testing vs Booster Vaccines
Titer Test | Booster Vaccine | |
No Adverse Side Effects | no side effects | There are mild to severe risks to vaccinations (some are listed above) |
Contains Harmful Additives | not even one - it's a simple blood draw | contains Toxic ingredients (such as: mercury, aluminum, MSG and formaldehyde) |
Cost Effective & Saves you Money | ranges from $20-$100 and is generally not yearly | costs >$100 and is usually a yearly expense |
Puts pet at risk for Over-Vaccination | Reduces this risk | Yes, and long-term side effects |
Takes into account Natural Immunity | will indicate if you pet is protected against the disease regardless if from previous vaccines or from natural exposure | doesn't even take into account any previous vaccines, let alone natural immunity |
Weighing the Cost to the Benefit
Taking into account where you live and what your pet is exposed to is a major factor when deciding on vaccinations. Remember, it is your choice as your pet's advocate to decide which vaccines to do and when.
Consider the disease for which the vaccination is trying to protect your pet against.
Ask yourself (and your vet) some of these key questions as you decide on each vaccine for your pet:
Is the disease that your vaccinating against deadly or does it cause long term health issues?
Is it easily treatable if my pet gets the disease?
What is the likelihood of my pet getting the disease?
What are the risks and side effects of the vaccine itself?
What is my pet's lifestyle and does it put them at risk? Around other pets, outside pet, etc.
If you decide to vaccinate and do the annual boosters, here are some tips to support your pet's body in the process:
Spread them out.
Don't get several all in one vet visit. Your pet's immune system works best fighting off one disease at a time. If you give several all in one visit, the body is put into overdrive and can be overly stress. This also makes them more susceptible to any illness.
By spreading them out by 2-4 weeks, you'll put less stress on their immune system and reduce the risk of them getting sick.
2. Detox prior to and following vaccinations.
Support your pet's body in ridding itself of the toxic chemicals in vaccinations.
Some options are: Milk Thistle given a week after the vaccine and Amber Naturalz Liver Detox given for a week prior and then a week following the vaccination.
P.S. These are also super helpful to do if you use traditional heartworm and flea/tick treatments too - they have lots of chemicals too since they are essentially a pesticide.
Help the liver detox!
Now What? Put it into Action!
#1 Ask your vet if they are open to Titer Testing
If the answer is no, it may be a good time to find a vet that is more open to learning new and up & coming research in their field. That may sound harsh, but medicine is ever evolving and you want a vet that is up to date on the new findings for their patient's benefit.
I made numerous calls looking for a vet that I felt comfortable with and although it is over an hour drive, it is so worth it to me to feel supported in my decisions I make for my pup.
#2 Decide on which vaccinations you do/don't want to do
I weighed the pros and cons of each vaccines and asked myself those key questions discussed above.
I choose to follow and share Dr. Jean Dodd's vaccination protocol, which takes into account Dr. Ronald D Schultz, well-known leader in research on vaccines and duration of immunity.
#3 Choose which diseases to titer test for
The most common are parvovirus and distemper and some will also choose to test for rabies. I know that the rabies vaccine is required by law, so I didn't test for that and instead chose to vaccinate with the rabies 3 year option and do the detox prior to and following the vaccine.
If you have an older pet or one that has had vaccines in the past,
do a titer test and see where their levels are at before jumping to a booster vaccine on their next annual visit.
Want some proof about the studies I referenced in this post? You got it!
This article is one I send all of my clients. It discusses titer testing, duration of immunity with the most common vaccines, and the risks associated with vaccines.
It outlines the research of Dr. Ronald D Schultz, one of only four researchers who are studying the duration of immunity with vaccines (he has recently retired, but his 40+ years of research has continued to make a major impact).
I highly encourage you to give it a read...especially if you are a skeptic :)
For more in depth look at Dr. Ronald D Schultz's work, here are two more articles to check out: part 1 and part 2.
DISCLAIMER: The information offered by The Balanced Companion is for educational purposes only. It is not intended to replace regular veterinary care. I strongly encourage you to seek the professional advice of a holistic veterinarian that supports your efforts to incorporate species appropriate nutrition and holistic lifestyle choices into your pet’s life. To locate a holistic integrative vet, please visit www.ahvma.org or ask me for a referral.
This blog post contains affiliate links for purchases of pet food on Amazon that I may receive commission for. Thank you for your support.
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