Titer testing

[Barb @ Gemstone Labradoodles]

Thought I would post that I had my 4 3/4 year old doodle titer tested this week for parvo and distemper. Her immunity is high. She had 2 puppy vaccinations and not one since. The last one at 12 weeks. I have had her titered before and will continue to do titers at 3 year intervals.

[Ricki and Tara (doodle)]

That's wonderful Barb!  Tara is three years old and will be going to the vets for titer testing in the next few weeks. She has only had puppy vaccinations (1 distemper and the parvo series). We had her tested at one year and her immunity was strong.  If the titers are strong again with the upcoming test we will go three years out for the next one.

It sure it nice to have these tests available and not have to be vaccinating her unnecessarily! :)

[Nicky, Riley & Boris]

I am going to have these Titer tests done here when Riley is a year old.  Can I ask how much you paid for them? Oh and how do you pronounce that word???

[Ricki and Tara (doodle)]

We pay about 80 dollars to have parvo and distemper tested here in Oregon. I pronounce it tie-tur or tighter. I'm not sure if that is correct but the vet seems to know what I am talking about! LOL!

[Nicky, Riley & Boris]

Thanks Ricki & Tara.  I think that sounds fine and well worth it.

[Ricki and Tara (doodle)]

Nicky I've found that it helps to shop around a bit to see what different vets are charging. My vet charges $106.00 for the titer test that I mentioned and the vet "down the road" from her charges $80.00 for the same tests from the same lab! I asked my vet if she would match their prices and she will match them. So sometimes you can save a little by making some phone calls.

[Lauria Orr]

Ricki,yes, that is the right pronunciation of titer. What a good idea to have titers drawn.  We are going in for Rabies shots and other vaccinations.  I imagine we have to do the rabies, but titers sound good for the others.  Morgan is 16 months old.

[Ricki and Tara (doodle)]

Lauria, you're right about the rabies shot. Although there is a titer test available for rabies there is little point since the vaccination is mandated by law. I think Morgan is at a good age to have his titers tested. That is about the same age Tara was when she had hers checked for the first time. It is a good gauge as to how well the puppy shots are holding immunity.

[Barb @ Gemstone Labradoodles]

I'm not sure how much I pay. I have a multi 5 figure vet bill every year and try not to sweat the small stuff. lol Talk about having your head in the sand!

[Ricki and Tara (doodle)]

Ouch on that vet bill!!!  I've found that sometimes the sand is the best place to be!!

[Nicky, Riley & Boris]

yikes!!!!  You do have an excuse not to sweat the small stuff though : )

[Barb @ Gemstone Labradoodles]

We did have a tough year. A long gone helper of mine left a door open and the puppies dragged some towels outside, ripped them up and ate them. 3 of them got terribly ill. 2 needed surgery. The really big tragedy of this is the puppies learned to eat inappropriate things. Later, unknown to us, the same helper left a latex glove in reach. One puppy was sick off and on for weeks and weeks. One time she was in the vet for 10 days with no diagnosis. Then because she was so run down and skinny she got a super bad UTI. She is now 9 months old and still here. She is doing much better and I think we have jumped thru all the hoops we needed to with her. I am hoping to place her in a new home by about Feb. At this point the vet recommends she go thru a heat before being spayed, so I can't sell her until that happens.

There's a little insight into the joys...or not...of breeding. Her pic attached.

[Ricki and Tara (doodle)]

She looks like she is enjoying life now!  It  just takes one thoughtless moment for things to go very wrong very fast with puppies.  Do pet insurance companies offer some kind of blanket policy for breeders?