Titre testing instead of vaccinating?

Titre testing is a growing phenomenon among animal people. Why do pet owners want this for their dog or cat? What are the advantages and disadvantages? What does it cost, and how does it work in practice? All perfectly valid questions about titre testing in dogs and cats. Let us get to the answers.

To get straight to the point: titre testing is not a replacement for vaccinating our dogs and cats. It is, however, a preventive way of testing whether vaccination is needed at all. Titre testing is always carried out by a vet and/or a veterinary nurse.

Vaccinating essentially means injecting dead or weakened pathogens into the body. The immune system is triggered by this and starts producing antibodies. At the next exposure we then become less ill, thanks to our immune system.

Titre testing sidesteps unnecessary vaccination by first testing the blood for the quantity of antibodies for the relevant vaccinations. If there are enough of those little defenders present in your dog or cat, they can carry on as they are and do not need vaccinating. If there are too few, vaccination follows after all. That can easily mean five years without vaccinating — though not for every disease.

For dogs, titre testing is suitable for: distemper, parvovirus and infectious hepatitis.

For cats, titre testing can check antibodies for feline panleukopenia.

Leptospirosis has to be vaccinated separately and therefore cannot be tested preventively.

Costs vary. Together with colleagues I organise a titre session now and then for our clients and our own animals. Titre testing then costs 45 euros per animal. If a vaccination turns out to be needed, add another 40 euros. The veterinary nurse takes blood from the animal and tests it. After about half an hour she comes back with the result, updates the passport booklet, and explains when the next blood sample would be advisable.