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Originally Posted by Ellie May  It really depends on the type of vaccine and this is still being researched. One popular animal immunologist does modified live virus vaccines once or twice after his dogs' immune system's are fully mature and then may titer once and then no more vaccines. This doesn't apply to rabies though. Titers show humoral immunity or that having to do with antibodies but not cellular immunity, so a low titer doesn't necessarily mean an unprotected dog.
Rabies has to be given by law in Michigan by four months, then one year later, then every three years after that. Titers aren't an acceptable replacement and if your dog goes without the shot and would bite or there would be a question of whether they have rabies, they would have to be quarantines and the state could go as far as to euthanize and test brain tisue. The way around this is to have your vet write you a medical exemption (to be within the law) but I'm sure protocol is similar if they are suspected of having rabies medical exemption or not...
Dr. Dodds (expert on vaccines) says give pup shots, booster one year later and then titer every year after (except rabies has to be given). This wouldn't work for the non-core vaccines that really don't last long and it is questionable whether the non-core ones should be given to most dogs at all. Depends on the circumstances. We just had a long discussion about duration of immunity on YorkieTalk with Kris Christine, founder of the Rabies Challenge Fund. The titer was something like "Ellie's distemper titer is low again". If you type "distemper" into the search on YT, you might find it becasue I think that will give you something better to read then what I just posted.  |
You are absolutely right. I don't think that most people realize that even if your vet gives you a waiver for the rabies vaccine, all it protects you from is a fine. If your dog bites or is exposed to rabies, he would have to be quarantined, possibly euthanized.