When I was running the southern hemisphere's largest privately owned dog training and day care centre I was presented with many challenges and opportunities. We saw thousands of vaccination certificates prior to admission and had many conversations with pet parents.

In recent times, scientific research has lead the Australian Veterinary Association to move its stance on yearly vaccinations to that which is in line with changing world standards.

...there is a consensus in the scientific community that veterinarians should aim to reduce the vaccine load on individual animals to minimise any risks of adverse reactions.... Every animal should be immunised and each individual animal only as frequently as necessary. Current scientific consensus recommends that adult cats and dogs should be vaccinated with core vaccines triennially where applicable.

- The Australian Veterinary Association

We noticed that this has led more and more people to express concern about the effects of over vaccination to their dogs. Over vaccination is when a pet already has sufficient antibodies to a pathogen, yet is unnecessarily vaccinated, over exposing them to multiple antigens and chemicals, which over stimulate the immune system, leading to vaccinosis. It can particularly be an issue in pets that are elderly or have a dysfunctional or compromised immune system.

A titre test is a test that determines antibodies, namely in Australia, to Parvo, Hepatitis and Distemper. Many pet parents are made to feel bad for asking questions or showing concern about vaccines and some vets deter owners by putting excessively high margins on titre tests.

The Alpha Canine Centre wanted to be part of the solution instead of the problem and so with veterinary support, we, like other understanding businesses are became proactive by offering affordable titre testing.

In Australia Parvo-virus, Hepatitis and Distemper form part of your dog’s core puppy vaccine regime. However, the AVA now states the following with regard to core vaccines.

...improvements to vaccines have increased their effectiveness, and new studies have indicated that immunity lasts longer than previously thought... Titres can be used to check immunity to see whether boosters are required for some agents.

Once your pet has it’s titre levels checked, you can formulate a yearly health plan with your vet.

Dr. Karen Becker has produced a brilliant video explaining what the science says about how often we should vaccinate our pets.

Below is a list of just some of the growing number of businesses offering titre testing in Australia. Please let Augustine Approved know if at any time if anyone in this list becomes obsolete or you have a provider you'd like to add.