Feel I've Made a Breakthrough at the Vet's UPDATE

[Neon]

Just spoken to my vet.

I have three options, apparently.

1.  The Vaccicheck inhouse system is not available to the surgery via their normal suppliers, so they would have to purchase from the manufacturers.  These kits come in packs of 12 or 120 so as no other client has asked about this, I would have to pay for a batch of 12 which would cost me £155.40 at today's price.

2.  I could go with out of house testing at a cost of £71.40 but if the test showed Toby had no immunity to Hardpad or Hepatitis, the surgery would not be able to source a single vaccine very easily, although they think they could source a Parvo vaccine.

3.  To go with a three yearly booster but have Toby vaccinated for Lepto and Parainfluenza every year but of course, in this case, I couldn't be 100% certain he had antibodies for the three core diseases.

My vet is quite happy to go the way I want to and is supportive and I have a year to think about it but no doubt there would have been price increases in the next 12 months.

My thought process is to go with the out of house testing, at least at the moment.

[Sula]

Unfortunately living in Scotland I could not help, but if enough people lived close to you and their doggies needed the Vaccicheck within the life of the batch bought (kept in the fridge at the vets), then the cost would be reduced. Given you have a year that might be feasible - otherwise I would think the out of house check was the best.

I am registered with Ayrton vets and our current pooch needs his first booster this July and I had already twigged to the annual booster maybe triggering an autoimmune disease at some point. The more of us that raise this the better chance we have of it becoming the standard.

[Neon]

Exactly Sula.  Not least from a cost effective point of view, how amazing would it be if more owners were aware of the potential risk.  Vets could quite easily bring titre testing to the attention of their clients, (can't think of a more powerful way of alerting to the possible dangers of over vaccination) but hey, ho, they are quite happy to stick a needle in an animal regularly, seemingly with no regard for the consequences.