Antibody Testing vs. Vaccination
CLINICAL REVIEW
The objective of this review is to provide veterinarians with key facts about serological testing of dogs and cats in the clinical setting. Specifically, this paper addresses the role of antibody testing for the core, vaccine-preventable diseases:
– Canine distemper virus
– Canine and feline parvovirus
– Canine adenovirus
Understanding when serological testing is indicated, and, for each indication, knowledge of what actions should be taken if the test results are “positive” vs. “negative” is fundamental. Given the high degree of correlation between a “positive” antibody test result (whether a quantitative or qualitative testing platform is utilized) and protection, serological testing offers veterinarians a relevant, reliable tool in managing individual patients in the clinical setting.