Titers

Titers are serologic blood tests which measure the amount of antibodies in a patient's body to a particular virus, bacteria or other immunologic organism. Titers can be measured as diagnosis of an infection or as indication of protection against infection. Repeated testings may be recommended to monitor the immune response over time.

Most commonly recommended titer testings include Lyme titer, and vaccinal titers for canine distemper or parvovirus. Lyme titers will be elevated in pets who have been infected with the Lyme disease organism. If your pet has previously been vaccinated against Lyme disease, an alternative test called a Lyme Western blot test may be recommended to determine vaccinal antibodies versus active infection.

Titers for distemper or parvovirus are available as an option for pet owners who choose to limit the number of vaccinations their pets require to be protected against these infections. Scientific reports indicate that if a pet's blood has evidence of a certain level of antibodies against particular organisms such as distemper or parvo virus, then the pet will be protected without further vaccination at that time. The specific level of protective antibodies is controversial which is why titer testing is not routinely advocated at this time in place of vaccination in this hospital.

Go Back