From:
"Jeff"
Date: 2009-06-03 00:40:06 UTC
Subject: Re Canine Distemper Titers Re: [ferrethealth] Digest Number 1543
To: <ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com>
Mike:
You might want to have titer levels tested before vaccinating. As Sukie pointed out in one of her posts, higher titer levels suggest that the ferret is protected, and higher levels may also be associated with a higher incidence of adverse reactions. Those are two good reasons not to vaccinate yet IF the titer levels are high. Now, what exactly constitutes a "high" titer level? Here is a past post by Dr. Ruth Heller on the subject:
From: ferrethealer@aol.com
To: ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com
**Cost will vary depending on what lab your vet uses. If they send
directly to Cornell, as I would recommend, you will probably be looking at no more than forty or so, maybe a bit more depending on what shipping method yourvet uses. If you go through a middleman lab, you're likely looking much, much higher.
As far as what titers mean - well. That's controversial still. No one has done the challenge study that would be required to say, absolutely, that Level "A" is protective while lower level "B" is not. However. We do know that in those species where that has been done, a titer of greater than or equal to 32 is protective. In my practice, I have been doubling that and advising that any ferret with a titer of 64 or higher is likely protected.
In collecting data for the titer study (see the AFA website ferret.org for details on the Mongo Memorial Distemper Titer Study) that I am spearheading , I am routinely seeing titers in the hundreds and thousands. Yes, there are some that are low, and I do recommend that those ferrets receive boosters.
Ferrets with low titers may still be protected, though, as there is a type of immunity (called cell-mediated) that cannot be measured and is not reflected in the titer.
Discuss it with your vet, and go from there.**
Dr. Ruth
************************
>They all have had yearly distemper shots. Do we need to take them
>in and have the two shot booster series which has been
>talked about here?
>Thank you
>Mike
********************
Jeff
In Loving Memory of Neo, Trinity, Morphy, Possum, Pip, Pop, Sabrina, Minnie Mouse, Hunny, Misty, Frodo, Baggins, and Mr. Parker
Caring for Luna, Baby Girl, Dozer, Boomer, and Zoomer
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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