DHP vaccines Distemper, Hepatitis (Adenovirus), and Parvo 

DHP is the vaccine that is usually given every three years after the initial puppy and year one shot.

However, clinical research has shown that DHP can give immunity for around  years, and therefore not necessary to be given every three years. There are tests to see if the dog holds immunity to DHP, that cost around £120 in 2022. But there are now Vaccicheck kits, that vets can obtain to conduct in house Titre testing. Titre is pronounced "Tight er".

The company that does the inhouse tests is called Vaccicheck, who have a Facebook presence as well as their website - https://vaccicheck.com/ 

Unlike the Lepto vaccine, which helps the dog fight the disease - The DHP vaccine is known to prevent the dog from catching the disease in the first place.

The three diseases are rather unpleasant, and the dog would suffer if infected. Please look at the following document by the World Small Animal Veterinary Association, which is 8 pages including about cats. It can be viewed below or Click here

Where a dog is injected with DHP, the Titre test may show over time a declining immunity. I took my dogs to Wales whilst I was conducting yearly titre tests for my own research, and the next results showed that the dogs had been challenged and the immunity had increased for the disease that tried to infect them.

There are a couple of ways of conducting Titre tests. One is to get the vet to send blood to one of the Animal School universities, like Glasgow University for the Gold standard test. 

Another way now, is to get your vet to draw the blood, and send it off to Dragon Lab, in Wales.

The other way is to use a vet who conducts in house Titre tests, known as Vaccicheck.

This video shows how the vaccicheck test is conducted

Suggested UK Titre test lab - £44.99 - January 2025

I used to get my Independent vet to draw the blood off, and post it off to Glasgow University - for the Gold standard DHP Titre test.

Then I moved home, and changed to the local Vets4Pets  The problem with chain vets, is that they're tied to IDEXX laboratory. Glasgow Uni will only receive blood from a vet who has registered with Glasgow. So even though my Vets4Pets had drawn the blood, I could not send it to Glasgow, and the blood was wasted.

But there is good news. Dragon Lab in Wales, will post you a kit so that your vet can draw the blood, and you can post the blood back to Dragon Lab.

• The kit includes everything you need for your vet to take a blood sample (tube and bags).

• Ask your vet for a blood draw - there will be a charge for this. You send the sample back using the packaging and postage included in the kit.

• Once they receive the sample, they will let you know via email and WhatsApp (if you subscribe to that platform) and you will receive results the same day.

Pop along to Dragon Lab for their order form and more details.

https://dragonlab.uk/titre-testing-for-dogs-and-cats/ 

Vaccination brands

It must be remembered that one brand of vaccine is not safer than another. It is not the brand that you dog might have a reaction to, but the product itself. Like all dog foods (including raw), you dog's chemical makeup might make it react to a brand that numerous other people have recommended. That is why it is the owner's decision to vaccinate or not.