Titers -vs- Vacines - Page 1

Does any person out there know about why we are vacinating our dogs instead of doing titers? I just received a diagnosis on a 4 year old - of immune mediated arthritis...........the culprit maybe because vacines - it hypes the system and breaks down the immune system..........it appears we may be lucky - very lucky because he has already responded to the Prednisone and the swelling in the hocks and ankles is minimal - it may never reoccur - however if it does then he has to go on another course of Prednisone - but I thought I was doing what was right and it was not - he will never be able to be vacinated again - or take the standard Heartguard - I am wondering if any of you have had this problem or have heard of it? Thank you in advance.

I think you may need a 2nd opinion, an immune compromised dog only becomes more so when on prednisone..... Overvaccinating is an issue.. look on the AAHA website for their latest on vaccines and look for Jean Dodds website or the vet from Wisconsin, Schultz I think his name is..... lots of good info Can understand the vaccinating dictum but not the heartworm preventative.. the alternative is way more damaging to the immune system than the meds and there are ways to spread out the dosages and You all need to be subsrcibing to Whole Dog Journal, not for the training articles... but for all the health related and food related subjects they cover. this magazineis definitely worth the subscription cost You can order back issues as well...

I think you either misunderstand or need a second opinion. And arthritis is always related to immune system issues, except for age and injury. Even then, at the most basic level, it is genetic. Personally, I do not buy that it is caused by over-vaccinating and many recent studies, including one at Purdue have studied this and found NO association. The fact is some humans and some dogs will always have arthritis and like conditions, just like they will have pannus, EPI etc. etc. The prednisone for a short course of treatment may well help. There is no rationale to remove preventative parasite control unless you have not given us all the information. I would be asking your vet how he/she arrives at this conclusion. Many terms are tossed about and often, the diagnosis is not correct at all.

Renz, I posted some months back regarding vaccines due to my 2 yr old beagle having a horrible reaction to this year's vaccinations. We almost lost her due to this. She too will never be able to be vaccinated again. It was very scarey. I'm on the fence not knowing what to do with my other dogs as for so many years, I've had it drilled into my head about how important these were for the health of your animals but now, it seems we may need to take another approach entirely. I realize the heartworm meds and rabies are probably things we cannot do without but, does that mean vaccines for distemper/parvo, etc should be avoided? I need to read the articles they've posted for sure.

To gsdfanatic1964: Thank you for the information- I went back and read your previous post. The Vet at the University said that the "standard Heartguard" as I said above can not be used - not the ivemectin Heartguard - they have a diffent on- you may want to check. Also, he will do the rabies. I just wish I would have been more knowledgable and did titers - however, he is a Certified Therapy Dog and does travel with us - so I did not want to hinder him that way - you are damned if you do and damned if you don't. I have owned GSD all my life and trained them and loved them with all of my heart - I am just freaked because I maybe made the wrong choices by having him vaccinated. But the good news - he is responding beautifully to the Pred.......and hopefully no reoccurance. ONE LAST THING - I will never question the treatment plan that the best Vet at a University Teaching hospital told me - so I know the about Pred.....but it is the drug of choice for this condition - and I will do my best to keep his immune system in balance after the course of Pred. Also as far as a 2nd opinion - I will never go further I had the best (World known Vet).

I am all for minimal vaccinations. I also do not do titers test. This article will explain why http://www.caberfeidh.com/Titers.htm

Sorry to hear about your dog, Renz, but glad that he is responding to the medication. I too have mixed feeling about vaccinating dogs. I give Blitz his 3 year rabies and vaccinate him against distemper, parvo, etc every 3 years. He just had a vac this year, so he will be 8 when he's due another and I'm not so sure he will be getting it. I am going to have a titer done first. When my first GSD was diagnosed with cancer, the first thing out of the oncologist's mouth was - under no circumstances is this dog ever to have another vaccination of any type. He also had inhaltion allergies and a chronic bacterial sinisitis he was unable to battle successfully. Maybe a coincidnece, but this condition developed only a few weeks after he received an intranasal kennel cough vac. The oncologist considered him to be an immune cripple so more more vac for him. I don't know for sure which h-worm med is best for your dog, but why not just titer him in a year or 2 to see where he stands with his vacs. I think it's wise to err on the side of caution and not vaccinate him again unless he needs it. Jean Dodd can titer him for distemper, parvo and rabies. Your vet only needs to draw the blood and send it off to her lab. There are printable forms on her internet site. Good luck with your boy. He sounds like a great dog.

Blitzen, thank you for your kind words and information...........I am going to do as you told me. I appreciate the information on Jean Dodd...and Yeager is truly is a wonderful GSD - I am off to see a vet who is also a nutritionist (not very often you hear of that combination) on Saturday to do a consult on food and vities....... Can I ask you what type of cancer does Blitz have? Did you do chemo on him?

It was my first GSD, Dylan, he had lymphosarcoma. Yes, he had extensive chemo but still he only survived for 6 months from the time of diagnosis. He was only 7 1/2 when he died; it was a terrible thing, like losing a child. Blitz is now 5. We got him just a few months after Dylan died. So far he's been very healthy and has never seen the vet due to his being sick. The nutritionist sounds very interesting. Please update us on what he has to say about Yeager's diet.

Hi Blitzen, My last GSD also had cancer & consequently chemotherapy treatment. His oncologist said no more vaccinations, but that was because of possible cellular changes caused by the chemo & not because she was against vaccinations (every 3 years).