Question:
When I take my cat for her annual checkup, the vet performs a feline titer that determines the level of antibodies in the blood and whether the cat needs shots. The titer costs around $50, adding considerably to the cost of an annual checkup.Why is this test necessary? Isn't the length of immunization known the way it is with humans, e.g., a tetanus shot lasts for x-number of years, and so on? Is it necessary to perform this costly test every year?.
P.D., Columbia, Md Oct 09, 2005
Answer:
The fact that your animal's doctor is doing antibody blood-titer determinations, rather than simply giving your cat a "booster shot," is to be applauded. Don't quibble over the price -- it's worth it, considering the potential risks of most feline vaccines that are needed (especially for cats who go outdoors), but that do not need to be given every year in most instances.Some animals do not have a good response (i.e., producing a protective level of antibodies) to some vaccines, or have a short-lived response. So routine blood-titer tests are called for rather than annual re-vaccinations across the board.
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