Home | Health | Health Care | Vaccinations | How to Test a Puppy for Vaccinations

How to Test a Puppy for Vaccinations

by Nancy Virginia Varian

Overview

How to Test a Puppy for Vaccinations

You have welcomed a new puppy your life, and you know how important it is that your new pet be vaccinated against parvovirus, the deadly disease that preys upon puppies and dogs with weak immune systems. Naturally you're ready to make an appointment with your veterinarian so that he or she can begin immunizing your puppy. The first thing your vet will want to know is whether your puppy has been vaccinated before it came into your care.
Mother's Milk

All puppies receive their initial immunization against parvovirus from their mother. The first milk the puppy takes, known as colostrum, provides immediate protection. Rich in the mother's antibodies, it will strengthen the infant immune system and protect it from parvovirus. According to the website Vaccination Options/Prevention: "After a puppy is born, maternal antibody levels drop by half approximately every 10 days." And so you can see why it is important to make an appointment with your veterinarian as soon as you bring your pup home.

What DoYou Know About Your Puppy?

Go to the initial appointment with your veterinarian prepared to tell him where and how you adopted your puppy. Did you obtain your pup from a breeder? If you did, you will have an accurate record of veterinary care provided by the breeder to the mother and the puppy. However, if you adopted your pet from a shelter, a pet adoption fair or even had the little one toddle into your life as a stray, you're not going to know a lot about his vaccination record. It's going to be up to the veterinarian to determine how much risk your puppy faces.
The Titer Test

A titer test will allow the vet to make this determination easily by administering a blood test known as a vaccine titer. He will draw a blood sample and place it in a glass tube to clot. The tube is then placed in a centrifuge where it will be divided into two parts: a blood clot and serum. The serum is reserved and the clot discarded; the serum will be analyzed in the laboratory either in your vet's office or an outside facility. The test takes 1 to 2 days to return a result, after which time your vet will know the level of antibodies protecting your puppy and whether a vaccine or a booster will be necessary.

Is it gonna hurt?
Be Your Puppy's Voice

How can you look into those big puppy eyes and not wonder whether this test is going to hurt? Be a voice for your puppy and ask what your puppy would ask for himself, "Will it hurt?" The vet will no doubt agree with you that no puppy likes to be pinched or poked with a needle. Be sure to ask what options are available to make your puppy more comfortable. You'll learn that the pup probably won't require anesthesia; however, depending on his level of stress, you will want to know whether a mild tranquilizer is available.
Follow-up

Once you have learned whether your pup needs a vaccination or booster, be sure to arrange a follow-up schedule to make sure that your new pet will be vaccinated when required. And don't forget to schedule whatever well puppy tests might be necessary as your pet begins his life as a happy, healthy dog in your home.