[snickerdoodle]

Have you all heard how and where the lepto-virus is breaking out and how you can prevent your dog from getting it and is your dog at risk???

Do you get the lepto vaccine for your dobermans and other dogs?

what other virus out breaks have you heard about

 

[doberkim]

leptospirosis is not a virus, its a bacterial disease.


if you want to read up on it, perhaps you can check with the CDC?

http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dbmd/diseaseinfo/leptospirosis_g.htm

no, i have not vaccinated my dogs for it, though it is something I have considered. Personally, I would only consider it for dogs truly at high risk for contracting the disease.

 

[doberlover]

My dogs are all vaccinated for it as well as everything else every year and even bordatella every 6 months so we will be able to board them at a moments notice. Kennels won't take them without all current vaccinations. I have had no bad reactions and it gives me peace of mind knowing they are protected.

 

[doberkim]

doberlover, you may want t look into the effects of overvaccinating, and research kennels that accept titers. there is no reason to vaccinate every year, and many vaccines are now approved for three year status, minimally. especially having an older dobe or two - there is no reason they need vaccines every year! 1

 

[Lexus]

Question Kim, with titering, I am researching this and would like your opinion..

I have come across the information that a titer test can't measure the actual immunity to a viruses, as immunity is dependant on memory cells rather then antiboties. And memory cells can't be measured?

I have to quote this part... I just lack the imagination to put it into my own words...

"Memory cells are what prompt the immune system to create antibodies and dispatch them to an infection caused by the virus it "remembers." Memory cells don't need "reminders" in the form of re-vaccination to keep producing antibodies. (Science, 1999; "Immune system's memory does not need reminders.") If the animal recently encountered the virus, their level of antibody might be quite high, but that doesn't mean they are more immune than an animal with a lower titer. "

So some people could titer test and find the immunity there, and not vaccinate, there are some people that may titer test, not find the immunity and revaccinate, when in all actuality is it possible that their animals really are protected still?


What do you think of this? Can titering just be for peace of mind, boarding or travel reasons, etc, but probably the animal is still protected even if a low or zero titer comes back?

 

[doberkim]

yup, thats the problem. we think we know what to do when the titers are high, but we DONT know how to interpret low titers really - are they low because there really isnt much of an immune response or just because there hasnt been a recent challenge.


its something ive been thinking over for awhile - i personally havent vaccinated in over 2 years, and i havent titered either. i am considering titering, but im not sure i will vaccinate if they are low for my own dog because hes NOT healthy.

a healthy animal, i think using the titers is better than vaccinating every year, and its all we have at this time!

 

[Lexus]

Thank you very much!

 

[doberlover]

Doberkim,
I'm in the midst of researching new kennels in my area and will ccertainly keep that in mind. Last kennel we used for over 10years and I was happy with them. Sadly, my last boarding a year ago with them ended in bad results with my male. I was never able to prove they hurt him but for months afterward he cowered at almost every quick move or raised hand gesture. I am aprehensive now about boarding him again!!