>I would like to ask what?  on distemper titers they DO know - I know a
>shelter vet DR XXX in TX who sent blood out in a distemper case and they
>can identify titers from vaccination exposure, post exposure to live
virus,
>etc.  If this cannot be identified - then I would like to know how they
can
>rate exposure from the titer tests .  IS this not how the vaccine trials
 
Well, what we do know is that a titer from an animal that has been exposed
to the virus is a lot higher than an animal that has been vaccinated.
What we do not know is what level of protection a titer in a vaccinated
animal indicates.  For instance, if we have a titer that is at a certain
level, does that mean the animal is protected against distemper or not?
We just do not have enough data to determine that.  I personally feel that
the vaccines are protective for more than a year.  But I do not *know*
that, and I refuse to risk my ferrets to a fatal disease.  So I vaccinate
them, and I recommend annual vaccination.  I will continue to do this
until we have more proof about the duration of immunity produced by the
vaccine extending beyond one year.
 
And I'm afraid that the rabies immunity levels extending to three years
were not done by measuring titers, but rather by conducting tests which
involved exposing vaccinated animals to rabies, and seeing if they came
down with the disease, not by measuring titer levels.
 
Dr. Ruth
*****************************************
Save lives - spay or neuter your pet.
 
[Sukie note: The comment about the three years is for animals other than
ferrets.]
[Posted in FML issue 3632]