why are titers so expensive?!?

• why are titers so expensive?!? mel Posted : 4/25/2007 11:26:43 AM Why are titers so expensive??? I asked for a rough price from my vet and they told me for rabies it's $260Canadian, for parvo it's about $200Canadian.  I find this ridiculous.   Does anyone know why it costs so much? or other solutions? I'm not a big fan of overvaccinating.   I like Jean Dodds vaccination schedule and wanted to follow it but $460+ for testing and then maybe shots ontop of it just seems a bit much to me.   LIKE 5 REPLIES 717 VIEWS LAST POST SAMSHINE Like Share You have posted to a forum that requires a moderator to approve posts before they are publicly available. Hey, it's way more fun when you sign up or log in Connect With Connect With Sign Up Login
• Lynn Posted : 4/25/2007 11:48:32 AM I suggest you call around and get other prices.  I sent mine out to Michigan State University and it cost $80 (American) plus the office visit of $40, if memory serves.  This was titers for absolutely everything except rabies (rabies is done by a different university). 0 LIKE Like Share You have posted to a forum that requires a moderator to approve posts before they are publicly available. Hey, it's way more fun when you sign up or log in Connect With Connect With Sign Up Login
• jetty Posted : 4/25/2007 12:14:35 PM It cost me just over $500 to titer Dodger at my vet (I'm in Canada too) - it does seem excessive!   The great thing is that just last week there was a local Hemopet/Hemolife blood draw with the results being interpreted by "Jean Dodd's"... That cost $110 USD for titers and an extra $9.50 USD for heartworm (heartworm test at my vet costs $30)... Not sure where you are in Canada but I know they do these local blood draws annually in Montreal and Ottawa.   ETA - I think its expensive because so few people know about and those who do aren't willing to spend so much when they can vaccinate for a fraction of the cost. In my area, vets are still pushing annual 5, 7, 9 in 1 vaccines and seem very unwilling to change... 0 LIKE Like Share You have posted to a forum that requires a moderator to approve posts before they are publicly available. Hey, it's way more fun when you sign up or log in Connect With Connect With Sign Up Login
• mel Posted : 4/25/2007 12:19:11 PM I'm only about 2 hrs from ottawa, 3hrs from toronto. The pathetic thing is it would cost me less to drive to ottawa, get titers done at that blood draw, buy groceries, and pay my phone and hydro bill!    It's just ridiculous the cost! Thanks for the tips, i'll definitely look into either finding a blood draw, or perhaps getting the sample taken at my vet and sending it to a testing facility. 0 LIKE Like Share You have posted to a forum that requires a moderator to approve posts before they are publicly available. Hey, it's way more fun when you sign up or log in Connect With Connect With Sign Up Login
• jetty Posted : 4/25/2007 12:25:55 PM It is annoying that it would be better for you to drive all that way rather than just do it through your vet![:@]   If you want to PM me your email address I can send you all the official forms so you can see all the tests they offer/cost/location etc... It also has all the contact info in case you want to inquire about future blood draws! It may be something you want to consider for next year anyway because not only do they offer titers but also thyroid, CBC and genetics tests and of course the heartworm... All at a fraction of what my vet charges[] 0 LIKE Like Share You have posted to a forum that requires a moderator to approve posts before they are publicly available. Hey, it's way more fun when you sign up or log in Connect With Connect With Sign Up Login
• samshine Posted : 4/25/2007 12:49:51 PM At those prices, you would save a lot of money by submitting your sample straight to Dr. Dodd's lab. To test both distemper and parvo titers, her lab charges $35 US. I go to my regular vet, have them draw and spin the blood, and express ship it myself directly to her lab. Even with international shipping and the exchange rate, I think it would be affordable. Rabies titer is $75 US, but there really is no reason to get that done because your dog will have to get the rabies vax anyway, required by law.   For info on submitting to Dr Dodd's lab go to [linkhttp://www.itsfortheanimals.com/HEMOPET.HTM]http://www.itsfortheanimals.com/HEMOPET.HTM[/link]  Read the info and there are links to two forms. One is the submission form with prices, the other is an instruction sheet.   They do a lot of other tests at very reasonable rates. Thyroid, blood workup, heartworm, etc. You can add on heartworm for only $9.50. 0 LIKE Like Share You have posted to a forum that requires a moderator to approve posts before they are publicly available. Hey, it's way more fun when you sign up or log in Connect With Connect With Sign Up Login