# Blood test for immunity



## lilymooflo (Jul 4, 2011)

Hi

My vet has advised me to come in tomorrow and get Barneys' blood tested to check he has enough immunity from his jabs. If he hasnt, he will have to have another dose. I have spoken to a local dog owner who said the vets often say that just to make more money.. as it will be £40 for bloods and another £35 for vaccs. 

Is this blood test necessary?


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## MichelleE (Apr 2, 2011)

Wasn't even mentioned for mine, although I did have the extra parvo jab at 16 weeks, which was only £9.


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## kendal (Jul 16, 2009)

this started in america, its ment to stop us overdosing them with their boosters as some of the booster jags are ment to last the dogs up to 2-3 years but we do it every year. 

the problem is so many things requier your dog to have its booster jabs, kennels, dog classes, dog shows, dog compititions, dog sports, pets as terapy, suport dogs, traveling with your pet/pet pasports. 

you may get the test and find he doesnt need the booster, but i dont know how often they need to do the blood test to check when he needs his booster. 

i like the idea but its hard enough getting people to remember to get their dog their normal booster let alone all theas tests. (people still come up to the kennels with her dogs booster a month or so out of date)


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## lilymooflo (Jul 4, 2011)

Thanks Michelle, not sure what to do for the best, especially as I have discovered my vet can be a bit of a rip off merchant! Did u make it to the Leeds meet today? We booked a last minute hol to Wales so couldn't go as I have been busy packing!


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## lilymooflo (Jul 4, 2011)

Thanks for that Kendal, still not sure what to do though. I thi nk the vet said that if immunity is positive then will be fine until boosters.


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## kendal (Jul 16, 2009)

when was barneys last booster?


from what i know its normaly when you go for the booster they offer the blood teast to see if your dog needs the booster.


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## Tabby (Aug 13, 2011)

I've never heard of it before? Tilly has had 2 boosters now and each time I've just taken her along for the jab. Sounds like a bit of a scam for money to me but I could be wrong!


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## lilymooflo (Jul 4, 2011)

last vaccs when he was 10 weeks, (2 weeks ago)


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## Ali79 (Mar 30, 2011)

Never heard of this either but know some vets will do extra tests for the money due to a lot of people not being able to afford to go to them so this is how they make their money. I would say no this time and just go for the normal set of jabs as this is all that we did with Beau when she had hers a few weeks ago


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## kendal (Jul 16, 2009)

change vet if you can he is trying rip you off. ofcorse your pup will be fine till its first booster as long as he has had both puppy jags. 

the point of the test is to try and reduce the amout oc injections you are giving your dog when they dont need it. 

the only blood test they should be offering is if he is sick or going under anasthetic just to check he isnt going to take a reaction to the anasthetic. 

realy would find a new vet if he is just going do tests for no reason.


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## lilymooflo (Jul 4, 2011)

Think I am going to cancel appt and possibly change vet, as I had a gut feeling it was a rip off. Thanks for all your advice.


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## MichelleE (Apr 2, 2011)

Hi Rachael - yes I do go to Leeds today. See all the pics on the other post - especially good photo of Daisy taken by Colin (Strof51). Hope to see youi next time - have a good holiday.


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## kendal (Jul 16, 2009)

yes i would change vets, if he thinks the pups need a double dose of the vacc then he should change his batch to a more efective vacc. 

nope as long as your puppy has had all the standered puppy vaccinations he will not need that kind of test till this time next year. when he is dew his booster. 


i cant believe he is doing this, who knows what damage he is doing if he is double dosing puppies vacc. is it his practice or is he a franchise, i would find out where to make a complaint too and send one in. this is not right.


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## tinal38 (Aug 8, 2011)

Here in the US it is common for breeder's to give the first vaccinations before you take the pup home, but many of the vets are not trusting that they have done that, and do it all over again. So, the test sounds like they are trying to make sure they have enough vaccine. But if you have had them both done at the vet, is there a reason they don't think they "take"?


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## wellerfeller (Jul 12, 2011)

Rip off!!!! I agree with changing vet. It really annoys me when you feel like you can't trust your vet, bit like finding a good mechanic. Before I found the man I take my car to now we used dealerships and ALWAYS felt ripped off. They play on the fact that you don't really know any better than them and can't really disprove a diagnosis.
Now We have a good mechanic and excellent vet!


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## JoJo (Mar 2, 2011)

I had blood samples taken from my dogs at the vets for Optigen testing... and to be quite honest it isn’t a very nice thing to have to do (although essential in my opinion), I took hubby with me when Honey had her blood samples taken and I was pleased I did... the vet shaves your dogs neck to see the vein and takes the blood.... I would only have blood tests or blood samples taken from my dogs if totally necessary... 

Any over vaccinating well ... I think Kendal had covered that one... change vets xx


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## kendal (Jul 16, 2009)

tinal38 said:


> Here in the US it is common for breeder's to give the first vaccinations before you take the pup home, but many of the vets are not trusting that they have done that, and do it all over again. So, the test sounds like they are trying to make sure they have enough vaccine. But if you have had them both done at the vet, is there a reason they don't think they "take"?



do puppies in the us not come from the breeder with vet vaccination cards that have stickers or batch numbers from the vet of the type of vacc they had? 

its ddfonetly not normal practice for puppies not to be vaccinated by thd breeder in the uk. the only pups that arent vaccinated anr the ones let away at like 5 weeks old. so many people i have spoken to said they got their pup at 5 weeks and i say could you not pop him back to be with mum and litter for a couple of weeks more. almost all have respondes"he was the last of the litter" so god knowse when the others were let go.


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## tinal38 (Aug 8, 2011)

You know, I did have the package and the batch number, etc., but my vet said they just really don't trust the breeder to have actually used that since the breeder does it themselves at home. I didn't think to question that, as it might be a ploy as well to have an extra set of shots per the vet! LOL. But, I was assuming that they have all too often dealt with puppies that are ill. Parvo is such a huge concern, and its a bummer I can't take Chip anywhere yet. I'd love to go to a puppy socialization class. He's 10 weeks tomorrow and will be getting his 2nd (to the vet, 1st) set of vaccines.


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## kendal (Jul 16, 2009)

tinal38 said:


> You know, I did have the package and the batch number, etc., but my vet said they just really don't trust the breeder to have actually used that since the breeder does it themselves at home. I didn't think to question that, as it might be a ploy as well to have an extra set of shots per the vet! LOL. But, I was assuming that they have all too often dealt with puppies that are ill. Parvo is such a huge concern, and its a bummer I can't take Chip anywhere yet. I'd love to go to a puppy socialization class. He's 10 weeks tomorrow and will be getting his 2nd (to the vet, 1st) set of vaccines.


take him our with you and just zip him up in your jacket, he gets to exspearience the world without having to touch the ground. if need be bring a puppy pad for him to pee on outside if you dont want him on he grass. but would will be able o talk him almost anywhere carring him.


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## tinal38 (Aug 8, 2011)

I've thought about carrying him, but it is one thing he really hates! LOL. I took him outside to see my parents in their car and was holding him, and he was frantic to get down and run around. Besides which, at the moment, I'd suffocate both of us in a jacket considering its been over 100 degrees F for the past lifetime it seems!

I do think he needs to be seeing more things at this point, so I am going to try it in short spurts. I don't want him to get nervous just b/c we're waiting for the vaccines to be safe.


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