Serum distemper virus and parvovirus antibody titers among dogs brought to a veterinary hospital for revaccination.
OBJECTIVE
To determine serum canine distemper virus (CDV) and canine parvovirus (CPV) antibody titers in healthy dogs brought to a veterinary hospital for revaccination.


METHODS
Case series.


METHODS
122 dogs.


METHODS
Serum antibody titers were measured by means of hemagglutination inhibition (CPV titers) or serum neutralization (CDV titers) at the time dogs were brought to the hospital for revaccination. All dogs had been vaccinated between 271 and 1,665 days previously. Dogs were grouped by age, breed (purebred vs mixed breed), sex, and weight to determine whether these factors were associated with antibody titers. Serum CPV titers > or = 1:80 and serum CDV titers > or = 1:96 were considered protective.


RESULTS
Breed, sex, and weight were not significantly associated with serum CPV and CDV titers. Age was significantly associated with CPV titer, with younger dogs having higher titers, but was not associated with CDV titer. Thirty-three of 122 (27%; 95% confidence interval, 19.0 to 34.9%) dogs had a less-than-protective CPV titer. Twenty-five of 117 (21%; 95% confidence interval, 13.6 to 28.4%) dogs had a less-than-protective CDV titer.


CONCLUSIONS
Results suggest that, on the basis of serum antibody titers, the current practice of annual revaccination of dogs against CPV and CDV infection should be maintained. Measurement of antibody titers to determine whether revaccination is truly needed would seem justifiable in those dogs that have previously had an adverse reaction to vaccination.
McCaw
D L
DL
Department of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Missouri, Columbia 65211, USA.
Thompson
M
M
Tate
D
D
Bonderer
A
A
Chen
Y J
YJ
D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D004216:Distemper / Q000276:immunology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D004217:Distemper Virus, Canine / Q000276:immunology*; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000276:immunology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D006385:Hemagglutination Inhibition Tests / Q000662:veterinary; D007117:Immunization, Secondary / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000662:veterinary*; D008297:Male; D009500:Neutralization Tests / Q000662:veterinary; D010322:Parvoviridae Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary*; D017993:Parvovirus, Canine / Q000276:immunology*
D000914:Antibodies, Viral