A simple serology test, namely Titer Test, can infect confirm if your dog/cat is immunised. And if they are, re-vaccination is only required once every 3 years. This bombshell is presented in this article in further details by Anna Webb.

1. 10 Animal Therapy Magazine | WINTER 2017
IsyourdogVaccinated,
re-vaccinatedorImmunised?
ANNA WEBB
V
ACCINATION is one of the
most notable modern medical
advances: it’s also one of the
most common procedures
undertaken in both cats and dogs.
There is no question of its importance
in preventing and controlling
infectious diseases. I’ve visited India
three times and hated seeing so many
poorly looking ‘street’ dogs and cats
ravaged by disease and mal-nutrition.
The key principle at the College of
Integrated Veterinary Therapies is
to minimise the ‘toxin’ load in our
pets (and people). Sadly toxins
are ubiquitous in our modern
environment. We absorb them daily
from polluted air, polluted food and
water sources. Even our home is full
of possible health stressors like PBDE’s
– flame retardant chemicals. Over use
of flea treatments and chemical sprays,
wormers, over medication and over
vaccination are also considered as
‘toxic stressors’ that can pose a risk to
the health of your pet.
A vaccine is a biological preparation of
either modified live or killed pathogens
(viruses, bacteria or parasites) that
is introduced into the body in order
to promote immunity to a particular
disease (Dodds 2001;Tizard &Ni;
Twark & Dodds, 2000).
If the basic principle in ‘holistic’
healthcare is to keep the toxin load
down, this begs the question: Do we
have to vaccinate every year?
Despite not being ‘mandatory’, unlike
‘rabies’ vaccination in certain parts
of the world, vaccination of the ‘core’
diseases is necessary. Vaccination
has undoubtedly saved more animals
lives than any other medical advance.
It has significantly reduced canine
distemper, hepatitis and parvovirus as
well as practically eliminating rabies
in Europe. As the UK is rabies free, the
only time we need to vaccinate against
rabies is when travelling abroad under
the PETS passport scheme.
Core vaccines protect animals from
severe, life-threatening diseases that
have global distribution. Core vaccines
for dogs are those that protect against
canine distemper virus (CDV), canine
adenovirus (CAV) and the variants
of canine parvovirus type 2 (CPV-2).
Core vaccines for cats are those that
protect against feline parvovirus (FPV),
feline calicivirus (FCV) and feline
herpesvirus-1 (FHV-1).
Professor Ron Schultz, Immunologist
and Pathologist, has been studying
the effectiveness of canine vaccines
since the 1970’s. Every year he checks
the antibody levels in his dogs’ blood.
Why? He says “for proof that most
annual vaccines are unnecessary”.
Based on his findings, over the years,
a community of canine vaccine
experts has developed new veterinary
recommendations that use Titre Tests,
or serological antibody tests to prove
a dog and cats immunity to the core
vaccines.
As a ‘voice’ to the global veterinary
community, The World Small Animal
Veterinary Association’s (WSAVA)
Vaccination Guidelines Group
(VGG) has re-issued and revised its
recommended vaccination guidelines
for dogs and cats since its first edition
in 2007.
In The WSAVA VGG latest guidelines,
issued in 2015, it has clearly addressed
Duration of Immunity (DOI). It
embraces the scientific, evidence based
studies, including Shultz, Dodds 2001
& Tizard 1998, Twark & Dodds 2000
that prove DOI of the core vaccines can
byAnnaWebb Broadcaster,Author,Trainer
hasstudiednaturalnutritionandtherapieswiththeCollegeofIntegratedVeterinaryTherapies(CIVT)
10 Animal Therapy Magazine | WINTER 2017
Above: Ron Schultz with VacciCheck. Opposite: Anna Webb with Prudence

2. 11Animal Therapy Magazine | WINTER 2017
continued overleaf
last for the lifetime of the animal after
their initial puppy/kitten shots: at the
very minimum for three years.
A Titre Test is a simple blood test that
looks for serological antibodies of the
core diseases. The presence of these
antibodies proves that the animal is
immune. (Tizard & Ni,1998 & Dodds
2000).
The VGG endorses the use of simple
in-practice Titre Tests to determine
such ‘sero-conversion’ to the core
vaccine components (CDV, CAV, CPV-
2 in dogs and FPV in cats) following
initial vaccination.
The VGG recognises that Titre /
serological testing might be relatively
expensive, but agree that the principles
of ‘evidence- based veterinary
medicine’ suggest that testing for
antibody status (for either puppies or
adult dogs) should be better practice
than simply administering a vaccine
booster on the basis that this would be
‘safe and cost less’.
I was introduced to Titre Testing
in 2008 when Molly, my Miniature
Bull Terrier (aged six), was ‘titred’
revealing her serological antibodies for
the core diseases to all be sufficiently
high. She did not require a booster to
‘revaccinate’ as she was proved to be
immune already.
Interestingly Molly had only had
her puppy shots at eight and 12
weeks, with no subsequent boosters
in six years, she received a high
Titre result for all three-core
diseases. Clearly highlighting that
DOI can last for more than three
years, if not a lifetime.
At Hyde Park Vets in London
Titre Testing is offered to
provide an alternative to
routine ‘boosters. This is greatly
appreciated by owners who have
concerns about vaccination
frequency. Many parents
wouldn’t consider vaccinating
their children annually for
measles or the mumps, so
offering Titre Testings acts as a
‘practice builder’. Why would
you do something if you didn’t
need to?
Dr. Jean Dodds DVM is very well-
known for her minimum vaccine
protocols and is Co-Trustee of The
Rabies Challenge Fund. She has
studied canine vaccines for over 40
years, with many papers published on
the subject. She recognizes a syndrome
known to holistic vets as ‘Vaccinois’
(reactions and side effects of vaccines).
Dr Jean Dodds DVM commented:
“Those in the animal healthcare field
now have a duty to re-examine and
improve vaccine protocols for the
health and safety of their
patients. This is especially true for
animals with compromised immune
systems, since vaccines represent one
more stressor that could prove to be
the tipping point between health and
disease. Side effects from vaccinations
can occur anywhere from instantly
up to several weeks or months later.
Vaccines can even cause susceptibility
to chronic diseases that appear much
later in a dogs life.”
Mild vaccine reactions include fever;
urticaria (hives); stiffness; sore joints;
digestive issues. Severe and fatal
adverse reactions include:
susceptibility to infections;
autoimmune disease,
neurological disorders, cancer,
associated tumours, kidney
disease, allergic reactions.
(Dodds, 2001).
The WSAVA VGG also
recognises that every puppy
/ kitten’s maternal derived
antibodies (MDA) will inhibit
and impact on the effectiveness
of vaccines on an individual
basis.
Based on evidence that suggests
maternal derived antibodies
lessen around 16 weeks, the VGG
recommends that a puppy/kitten
second core vaccine shot should
be applied at 16 weeks or later:
then followed by a booster at six or
12-months of age.
11Animal Therapy Magazine | WINTER 2017

3. 12 Animal Therapy Magazine | WINTER 2017
ANNA WEBB
Interestingly in cultural or financial
situation where a pet can only have
one shot, the VGG recommends this
should be given at 16 weeks of age or
older.
With Prudence my Miniature Bull
Terrier puppy, she was vaccinated
under German legislation with her first
core vaccine puppy shot at eight weeks.
She has also had a Rabies shot, in line
with the PETS passport scheme, to
bring her home into the UK. Her
breeder’s vets in Germany sourced a
Thermerosal (or mercury) free rabies
shot manufactured by Merial.
Most vaccines whether ‘human’
or ‘animal contain at least two
components; that of the actual disease
ie Rabies and an immune adjuvant.
This is added in the manufacture
process as a preservative and to
enhance the immune response. It
is typically made from highly toxic
compounds such as Aluminum,
Mercury and MSG.
Dr Ron Schultz believes some
veterinary vaccines are using
more advanced technologies
(May 2011). He explained:
“Aluminum was part of and is
still the most common part of
human vaccines’ adjuvants.
Alum is the adjuvant added.
It’s the only one approved
for human vaccines. In
veterinary vaccines, Alum
is added but we have many
other adjuvants in veterinary
medicine as approvals can
move faster”.
Prudence was Titre
Tested for serological
immunity to the core
vaccines at 16 weeks. Her
Titre revealed she had
responded well to the first puppy shot,
and ‘seroconverted’. Proving she had
been successfully immunised, not just
vaccinated. There was no need to give
Prudence her second ‘puppy’ shot.
Regular Titre Testing will be used to
confirm Prudence’s immunity status in
years to come.
Making it easy for Vets in the UK
to serologically test for immunity
across the core vaccines, there are
several in-practice WSAVA VGG
approved Titre kits available, including
VACCICHECK, designed by Dr Ron
Shultz, and manufactured by Biogal.
As yet Titre Tests do not test the
immunity for a variety of non-core
vaccines, known to have a shorter
immunity, such as Kennel Cough. Dr
Ron Schultz (2009) explained: “Kennel
cough is a mild and transient disease
contracted during boarding or dog
shows. Most pet dogs do not live in
breeding kennels, are not boarded
regularly and therefore: “rarely need
to be vaccinated or re-vaccinated for
kennel cough.”
Thanks to the WSAVA’s VGG In cases
where kennels demand ‘vaccination’
certificates (for insurance purposes),
Titre Tests can, with an accompanying
letter from your vet, be certification of
immunity to the core diseases.
12 Animal Therapy Magazine | WINTER 2017

4. 13Animal Therapy Magazine | WINTER 2017
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Broadcaster, Author, Trainer, studied natural
nutrition and therapies with the College of
Integrated Veterinary Therapies (CIVT)
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