We are the only vet in Ballito with this offering – You will be able to check the vaccination status of your pet (excluding for Rabies – as vaccination is regulated by law.) This means no more worrying if your pet is immune to these devastating diseases.
For those who are worried about overvaccination and effects on their pets, this is fantastic news as good antibody titres will allow them to make informed decisions about when to revaccinate their pets. It will be great if all those who are interested in this service let us know so that we can ensure that we have enough of them in stock to prevent some pet parents being disappointed.
This helps to reduce vaccination failure and prevents over-vaccination consequences!
Research shows that vaccinations often provide effective immunity to the CORE diseases for many years. However, the rate of decline of immunity can vary greatly from animal to animal, which can lead to either giving unnecessary vaccinations or gaps in protection.
We now offer an in-clinic blood test, the Canine and Feline VacciCheck, that measures antibody levels or titers, for three canine CORE diseases (Parvovirus, Infectious Hepatitis and Distemper virus) and three feline CORE diseases (Panleukopenia, Herpes and Calicivirus).
VacciCheck is accurate and approved for use in dogs and cats by the USDA and Health Canada-CFIA. If a VacciCheck result measures as “protected”, your veterinarian may advise that vaccination for one or more of the canine and feline CORE diseases, is not necessary.
While a positive or high titer tells us a pet is protected, a LOW titer does not necessarily equate to unprotected. Many factors influence immunity; therefore, your veterinarian will make a recommendation as to what is best for your pet. The VacciCheck titer test is performed in the clinic lab with results usually available within an hour time.
It is important to remember the best health protection for a pet is an annual health check-up by a veterinarian.
VacciCheck is most beneficial when used in the following scenarios:
– Adopted animals with an unknown history
– To assess immunity levels achieved after the initial puppy/kitten series or after the first year booster. Even when the last vaccination is at 16 weeks there is a small percentage of cases where maternal antibodies may interfere with vaccination
– To assess the need for routine vaccinations in a mature animal
– To assess the need for vaccinations in dogs with chronic illnesses or a weakened state
– To assess immunity in animals that have reacted adversely to vaccines in the past
– Provide proof of immunity instead of vaccination, to boarding facilities, municipal governments, daycare, etc.
– For breeds known to be a “genetic non-responder.”