Message Number: YG1978 | New FHL Archives SearchFrom: katharine
Date: Sun Apr 1, 2001 8:13am
Subject: Titers
Valk wrote:
<I am deadset against over vaccination and believe that regardless of a possible reaction to
vaccination any animal that is expected to recieve yearly vaccinations should be titered first.<
This is a good point that I haven't really thought about. Why don't we run titers first? Is it
that the vaccinations are so cheap, why bother? Is it because most animals would still require the
vaccinations? Is it because we don't want to make two trips, one for the titer, one for the
inevitable vaccination? Maybe over-vaccination is why we see so many reactions later on (build-up).
I have had the rabies pre-exposure series and I have my titer checked annually and will only get a
booster shot if needed. (Just had mine checked...all is fine). Why don't we do the same for our
animals?
When Lily was undergoing chemo, she couldn't have her rabies/distemper vaccinations because they
wouldn't have been effective. I was working toward having her distemper titer checked because I
occasionally have baby raccoons in the house. They can have canine distemper and, of course, it is
airborne. I wasn't worried about rabies because there would be no physical contact. I would not
allow any raccoons in the house until Lily was checked. She died before we ever ran the titer.
Katharine
Send comments to Pam at pjdutche@email.unc.edu. Please note that this address is only useful for questions about the FHL archive. Questions about ferret health, or those intended for the FHL, should be sent to the Ferret Health List.