Significance Of Antibody Testing – Prevention Is Better Than Cure

Antibody: It is a substance produced by the body's immune system that can resist pathogenic infection. It is an important part of the pet's immune system and can be called a life protection shield. Antibody testing can not only test whether pets can resist infectious diseases and deadly diseases, but also the only reliable indicator to evaluate the immune effect of vaccines. "

When should an antibody test be done?

1. Antibody detection before and after immunization

Avoid maternal antibody interference, virus interference, over-vaccination, and monitor the success of immunization

Ps: Vaccination and antibody check are the double health insurance

1-1 Antibody check before primary immunization: avoid maternal antibody interference

Antibodies should be tested for dogs and cats before immunization to ensure that maternal antibodies have dropped to a level that does not interfere with the immune effect of the vaccine

1-2 Antibody check before vaccination: avoid virus incubation period vaccination

Vaccination should be carried out in a healthy state of dogs and cats, and antibodies can be used to detect whether dogs and cats are in the incubation period of virus infection before vaccination.

1-3 Antibody check before re-immunization

To prevent over-immunity, good things turn into bad things. Overstimulation of the immune system may lead to immune-mediated diseases - autoimmune disorders such as chronic kidney disease in dogs, immune-mediated hemolytic anemia (IMHA), allergic skin diseases, etc. Therefore, if the antibody level in the dog and cat is sufficient, the vaccination should be stopped.

2. Post-immunization: monitoring the success of the immunization

Timely detection of antibodies after vaccination can clarify the immune effect of the vaccine and reduce the risk of immune failure.

3. Antibody detection during routine physical examination (early know, early prevention)

Conducive to the early detection and timely prevention of infectious diseases

For example, canine infectious diseases mainly include canine parvovirus (CPV), canine distemper (CDV), and canine coronavirus (CCV).

The main infectious diseases of cats are feline panleukopenia (feline microcytopenia) (FPV), feline calicivirus (FCaV), and feline herpes virus (FHV), among which feline distemper has a fatality rate of 70%.

For the above-mentioned dogs and cats, which are highly prevalent and lethal infectious diseases, they carry a high proportion. Regular physical examination to detect antigen and antibody levels is conducive to early detection and correct diagnosis of infectious diseases, reducing misdiagnosis and missed diagnosis. . In the face of disease, prevention is always better than cure!

In addition, for pets with unknown origin and immunization history, and cats newly purchased or used for breeding, antibody testing before routine physical examination can reduce the incidence of infectious diseases.

4. Detection of antibodies when disease occurs

Antibody level is one of the important reference indicators for treatment

4.1 Initial diagnosis stage

After dogs and cats are infected with the virus, antibody detection at the initial diagnosis is one of the important reference indicators for adjuvant therapy: when the antibody is high, more emphasis is placed on supportive therapy, and when the antibody is low, antivirus is as important as supportive therapy! The "antigen + antibody + inflammation" three-in-one joint investigation plan can delineate the treatment plan in the shortest time and achieve precise treatment!

4.2 During treatment

Continuous detection of antibody levels during treatment: can assess prognosis and guide the use of antiviral drugs.

1) Continuous use of monoclonal antibody for more than 3 days: when the antibody content is normal, it can be considered to stop;

2) When the antibody content is insufficient, the injection volume of the antibody needs to be increased.

3) Use the antibody for more than a week: when the antibody content is normal, it can be considered to stop;

4) Antibody levels are lower than normal levels, and dogs and cats have poor prognosis or extremely high mortality.

4.3 Review stage

After the pet is discharged from the hospital, the antibody will be reviewed, and the recovery situation will be truly reported.

5. Antibody detection in special circumstances

Antibody testing in the perioperative period to avoid secondary infectious diseases

5.1 Perioperative period

If dogs and cats have poor immune status or are in the incubation period of viral infection before surgery, complications or outbreaks of disease after surgery are more likely. The health status of dogs and cats is assessed before surgery by antibody detection to avoid the possibility of postoperative complications. In the case of infection, surgery should be postponed.

5.2 Travel, foster care, hospitalization

Pets traveling, fostering or being hospitalized have a very high risk of exposing pets to a large number of sources of infection. It is necessary to detect antibodies in advance. Especially in the pet store with a large number of pets, it is especially necessary to test and manage them separately before fostering.