Titre testing for dogs attending SPCA Certified doggy daycares • SPCA New Zealand

Vaccines have been incredibly efficient at preventing disease, but like all medical procedures , there can be occasional adverse reactions or unwanted side effects in some individual animals. Therefore, some animal guardians may prefer to use titre testing to check their dog’s immune status to specific disease, before deciding whether to administer a ‘booster’ vaccination.

Core Vaccines for dogs

In New Zealand, dogs are vaccinated with either Nobivac (DHP / DHPPi) or Vanguard Plus 5, as their ‘core vaccine’. These vaccinations provide protection from the diseases canine distemper (CDV), canine parvovirus (CPV), and infectious canine hepatitis (ICH). Studies have shown that these vaccines are generally very good at establishing a long-lasting immunity, and hence many veterinary practices are confident dogs will have sufficient immunity for a period of three years between booster vaccinations. Nobivac DHPPi and Vanguard Plus 5 also provide short-acting protection from canine parainfluenza virus, which contributes to canine cough.

Since studies have shown the duration of immunity for some diseases can be much longer than three years in many dogs, titre testing can be used to understand whether a booster vaccination is necessary to maintain protection from those diseases.

What is Titre Testing?

Titre testing involves a veterinarian taking blood from the dog, which is then analysed for levels of antibodies to certain diseases. Blood can either

be sent away to a veterinary laboratory, where results take up to seven days and are quantitative (gives an actual measurement), or
used in an instant in-clinic ELISA test that provides a binary protected/not protected result.

Vaccinations for canine infectious respiratory disease (canine cough) and leptospirosis must still be given annually, as these vaccines generally provide only a short duration of immunity, and there are currently no vaccine titre tests available for either disease in New Zealand. An annual vaccination for canine parainfluenza should also be given separately if the core booster is not needed.

Disease	Titre test available	Vaccination & Boosters
Canine parvovirus	VacciCheck® snap test FASTest® snap test Lab blood test	Nobivac (DHP / DHPPi) or Vanguard Plus 5
Canine distemper	VacciCheck® snap test FASTest® snap test Lab blood test	Nobivac (DHP / DHPPi) or Vanguard Plus 5
Infectious canine hepatitis	VacciCheck® snap test	Nobivac (DHP / DHPPi) or Vanguard Plus 5
Canine parainfluenza	No	Nobivac DHPPi or Vanguard Plus 5. Also part of Nobivac KC or available as a separate (annual) vaccination
Canine cough	No	Annual booster required
Leptospirosis	No	Annual booster required

SPCA Certified Requirements

SPCA Certified Doggy Daycare standard (H11) requires that all dogs must be vaccinated against canine parvovirus, canine parainfluenza, canine distemper, infectious canine hepatitis, canine cough, and leptospirosis.

SPCA Certified Doggy Daycare standard (H13) states that appropriate titre testing may be accepted as an alternative to standardised vaccination booster protocols, though there is no current guidance for titre testing in the document.

Clients of dog daycares (DDC) that are SPCA Certified, and who wish to utilise titre testing in place of routine boosters of core vaccinations, must supply the DDC facility with proof of a positive titre test indicating protective levels of antibodies for canine distemper, canine parvovirus, and infectious canine hepatitis annually.

Annual booster vaccinations are still required for leptospirosis and canine cough.