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Have you heard of titer testing? Well, if not, I’m going to fill you in, but here’s a cool fun fact for the dog lovers out there. Did you know that the world’s oldest dog lived to be 30 years old? That’s 210 dog years!
Her name was Maggie, and she was a Kelpie living on a dairy farm in Australia. I often think about Maggie and wonder how long my dogs will live now that I’ve made many positive changes to their diet and lifestyle.
- Rodrigo is still with us at 12 years old; his first vet predicted that he’d diet at three years.
- Sydney passed away at ten from hemangiosarcoma.
- Scout passed away from canine lymphoma before his ninth birthday.
- Zoey is still with us; she’s nine.
- Apollo is thriving at four.
We do the best we can with the information we have and while there are some things we can’t control, there are other things we can control – diet, exercise, health choices, and vaccinations.
Will My Dogs Live Long Life?
When I began to feed raw, I honestly thought all of my dogs’ health issues would vanish. My dogs would be perfect and live a long life. I now know that raw feeding is only part of the answer, not the entire answer. After our experience with cancer, I’ve become extra vigilant about my dogs’ diet.
This is Maggie’s, the Kelpie I mentioned above, diet:
- raw, unpasteurized milk – 1/2 cup twice daily with her human
- table scraps, raw grind (ground meat) raw bones
- vegetables
- raw placenta
Maggie also self-fasted, which is a great way to reset a dog’s digestive system because a dog’s gut shouldn’t work 24/7. A fast jump starts the gut and the immune system.
My dogs eat a raw diet, they enjoy raw goat’s milk and kefir as a treat (or modified fast), and I fast my adult dogs once a week. My dogs haven’t tried placenta – yet.
Extending the Lives of Our Dogs
Extending our dogs’ lives doesn’t stop at diet. The increased toxic load (vaccinations, processed foods, air fresheners, weed killers) in our dogs’ lives is also shortening their lives.
- I’m careful about where I walk our dogs; they’re not traipsing through grass that was treated with weed killer.
- I only burn Pet House and Plant Therapy candles in our home because they’re the only scented candles that aren’t toxic to pets that I trust.
- I use natural dog shampoo, feed natural treats, and give my dogs CBD oil. And I’m conservative about vaccinations.
Fear of Over Vaccination
My fear of over-vaccination started after hearing stories of dogs that developed a severe illnesses as a result of too many vaccinations. This could be vaccinating too often or one combo vaccination that delivers several in one syringe.
The damage that vaccinations can do over the lifetime of a pet is scary, and I hope to see Washington State (where I live) accept current titer testing as an alternative to vaccination records for pets.
What is a Titer Test?
A titer test is a blood test that is taken by a veterinarian and sent to a lab to test for antibodies of previous vaccinations. Many people opt to do a titer test instead of vaccinating their dog to avoid over-vaccinations or the side effects brought about by vaccinations:
- Fever
- Lethargy
- Loss of Appetite
- Rash/Hives
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Pain/Swelling
- Seizures
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Flu-like Symptoms
- and more
A veterinarian told me that these symptoms are typical. But should they be expected? I can’t imagine why I would revaccinate my dogs when their first vaccination is still protecting them. And I’m not alone in this line of thinking.
I’m not suggesting that I won’t vaccinate my pets; instead, I’m putting more thought into this decision by considering the risks. Do indoor cats that aren’t exposed to other pets need annual vaccinations? Do geriatric dogs with pre-existing conditions need annual vaccinations? These are discussions that I have with my veterinarian and questions I research.
Affordable Titer Testing for Pets
I asked my veterinarian how much it costs to titer my dogs, and I was told that it would be $900 per dog. This rate isn’t unusual. Pet parents can save money by requesting a blood draw from their veterinarian clinic and sending it off to one of the following affordable options:
Change the Laws in Your State
If you live in a state that doesn’t allow titer testing in place of rabies vaccinations, join the community on TitersForPets.org. Titers for Pets is an organization created to educate pet parents, the veterinary community, and legislators on optimal immunization for pets. Their goal is to change the laws to allow the acceptance of titers and reduce the over-vaccination of pets.
And, before you leave, do me a favor and call your vet and find out if the clinic offers titer testing and, if they do, ask about the rates. Please share what you learn in the comments. Thanks!