Titer Test & Annual Shots

Took Choya for her six-monthly bordetella jab. It’s required by her school. In densely populated Singapore, she meets many dogs on walks and at the dog runs. Dogs drool on and sniff one another, sniff and walk on pee, poop, soil. Dogs falling ill from kennel coughs are more common than we think. I’d rather her not get that and be susceptible to other infections. 

She doesn’t do well with vaccinations though. They seem to cause her to be disorientated or even hallucinate for 12 hours. She might have body aches because she doesn't seem to like being carried for two days. If we carry her, she makes very loud protests and treats us to loads of shrieks and Shiba screams. Those screams are sometimes about finding her voice and happily using it when she's displeased. I'll cut her some slack for two days. Then I chide her for screaming like she's being butchered. 

After each vaccination, I make an effort to keep her surroundings calm and quiet. I keep two days free in order to watch her and gauge if her reactions need clinical intervention. I’m not an anti-vaxxer. However, I don’t believe in over-vaccinating myself or the dog. Choya will get the necessary vaccines if she needs it. She'll be a bit pissed with us for two days, but that's okay since she's still sleeping, happy to go walking, and has pretty usual bowel movements. Most importantly, after vaccination, she still eats, and has an okay appetite overall on the day and the next few days.

Choya’s also due for the annual vaccination. She has had her puppy shots and the 7-in-1 (canine distemper, hepatitis, corona viral enteritis, parainfluenza, parvovirus and two strains of leptospirosis) last June. So I opted to do a titer test first. If her bloodwork shows she has sufficient antibodies to parvovirus, distemper, or adenovirus, then we can skip the 4-in-1 (DHPP) shot, and just do the leptospirosis.   

Titer test results came back earlier than expected. I’m glad that the titer test showed that she has high levels of antibodies, so the jab she needs would be for leptospirosis. Whichever way, she's going to have to get jabbed anyway. Hahaha. With a lower number of vaccines required, at least the after effects wouldn't be so bad. The best thing- she now weighs 7.3 kg, a lovely increase from the 6.2 kg that she carried for seven months. She doesn’t look so skinny now, and she has packed on muscles. YES. All the food has helped! Wheeeeee! May this ideal weight stay on her. She’s allowed to get up to 8 kg. 

Titer test results.