Vaccicheck – Titre Testing

More information about what this is and why you should consider testing

A new study has found that more than half of dog owners express some level of canine vaccine hesitation and are skeptical about the safety and efficacy of administering routine vaccinations to their dogs. A nationally representative survey of 2200 adults in the USA was undertaken in early 2023. It documents a pervasive canine vaccination hesitation amongst dog owners. The research demonstrates a large minority of dog owners consider vaccines administered to dogs to be unsafe (37%), ineffective (22%), and/or unnecessary (30%). A slight majority of dog owners (53%) endorse at least one of these three positions. 

Public confidence in human vaccination declined during the pandemic, largely caused by a lack of trust and misperceptions in the efficacy and safety of the COVID-19 vaccine. This hesitancy appears to also extend to pet vaccinations. Troublingly, vaccine hesitation was found to be associated with rabies non-vaccination, as well as opposition to evidence-based vaccine policies, potentially leading to serious human and animal health consequences. 

Titer (or this side of the pond titre) testing offers a more tailored approach to vaccination in place of routine annual vaccination, and could be a way to increase vaccination confidence. WSAVA guidelines over the last decade have changed – current best practice vaccination guidelines are to safely and minimally vaccinate and effectively immunise all pets. It may be time to start questioning traditional vaccine protocols.

Serology testing helps ensure core vaccine boosters are only given when there’s an evidence base to do so. It seems to me and is shown by this research in the US at least that this is what many pet guardians want and more veterinarians should offer them.

Without incorporating serology testing into veterinary practice recommendations, practices are administering core vaccine boosters without an evidence base to do so. It is time to start questioning antiquated vaccine booster protocols.  Are they necessary? Can they cause harm?  Are they in the patient’s best interest?  Are they in the clinic’s best interests? What are the alternatives? 

Best practice vaccination guidelines are to safely and minimally vaccinate and effectively immunise all pets. This can be achieved with a minimal vaccine protocol that incorporates titer tests and a tailored health plan for every pet.

You can read about what we do, the test we use and a lot more on the Natural medicine / vaccicheck page on the advice site. and if you are really interested what Prof Hall explain about testing on the video below.

We run a clinic in our area most months – you can see the dates pinned to the top of this blog/news pages We get a dozen to 20 dogs in at one session and so can charge just £40.00 to do the testing as we can then do 12-20 tests simultaneously. Your LVP (local Vet Practice) would most likely have to send tests to an external lab and pay for premises so can charge 2-3 times as much understandably.

`If you watch the video below you will see Richard Hall advocates titre testing at

1. Just after puppy vaccines at 4 months of age primarily but also
2. When rehoming dogs in shelter situations
3. Elderly patients rather than vaccinate

You can read more on the following documents

Ron Shultz paper

UK research paper

Biogal Labs pages for even more stuff