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When To Retest For Ehrlichia


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My short term foster with the suspect Ehrlichia titers was on Doxycycline for 30 days. She finished the Doxy on Apr 11, and is going to her new home soon. How long should we wait to retest? (She is a one year who was never sick. The tick titers were just done to be sure there was nothing that might be a problem later.)

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6 months. But, be aware that you might not see any change in titers even then. Sometimes antibodies will drop over time, and sometimes they won't. If there's any doubt, you could do a PCR at that point -- it looks for the presence of ehrlichia DNA rather than antibodies.

Star aka Starz Ovation (Ronco x Oneco Maggie*, litter #48538), Coco aka Low Key (Kiowa Mon Manny x Party Hardy, litter # 59881), and mom in Illinois
We miss Reko Batman (Trouper Zeke x Marque Louisiana), 11/15/95-6/29/06, Rocco the thistledown whippet, 04/29/93-10/14/08, Reko Zema (Mo Kick x Reko Princess), 8/16/98-4/18/10, the most beautiful girl in the whole USA, my good egg Joseph aka Won by a Nose (Oneco Cufflink x Buy Back), 09/22/2003-03/01/2013, and our gentle sweet Gidget (Digitizer, Dodgem by Design x Sobe Mulberry), 1/29/2006-11/22/2014, gone much too soon. Never forgetting CJC's Buckshot, 1/2/07-10/25/10.

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If a dog has been exposed at some point in his/her life, don't know that titer would ever drop to zero, sometimes it doesn't drop very far at all, and occasionally it doesn't drop period.

 

Seems to have become common to treat on the basis of a single titer even when there are no symptoms. Most of the scientific peeps seem to recommend either paired titers a couple weeks apart with 2nd higher than 1st, or else PCR as the basis for treating an asymptomatic dog. I'd imagine cost plays a role in people's decisions there. (Still talking no symptoms here; obviously dog with symptoms would be different case.)

 

I prefer PCR testing to titers. Not sure how long after course of antibiotics it makes sense to do a PCR -- probably says someplace on the NCSU website.

Star aka Starz Ovation (Ronco x Oneco Maggie*, litter #48538), Coco aka Low Key (Kiowa Mon Manny x Party Hardy, litter # 59881), and mom in Illinois
We miss Reko Batman (Trouper Zeke x Marque Louisiana), 11/15/95-6/29/06, Rocco the thistledown whippet, 04/29/93-10/14/08, Reko Zema (Mo Kick x Reko Princess), 8/16/98-4/18/10, the most beautiful girl in the whole USA, my good egg Joseph aka Won by a Nose (Oneco Cufflink x Buy Back), 09/22/2003-03/01/2013, and our gentle sweet Gidget (Digitizer, Dodgem by Design x Sobe Mulberry), 1/29/2006-11/22/2014, gone much too soon. Never forgetting CJC's Buckshot, 1/2/07-10/25/10.

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6 months but yes they may always have titers. some vet recommendations differ. best of luck... doxy may need to be continued longer.

scootersig_A4.jpg

 

Pam with greys Avril, Dalton & Zeus & Diddy the dachshund & Miss Buzz the kitty

Devotion, Jingle Bells, Rocky, Hans, Harbor, Lennon, NoLa, Scooter, Naomi and Scout at the bridge

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