IMMUNOLOGICAL RESPONSES TO POLYVALENT CANINE VACCINES IN DOGS

The immunological responses to commercially available polyvalent vacci nes in dogs were examined. There was a tendency in decreased lymphocyt e counts on day 7 in the puppy and adult dogs. There was a significant increase in the blastogenesis of lymphocytes on day 7 and 21 in puppi es, whereas no significant changes were seen in the adult dogs. Delaye d type hypersensitivity (DTH) responses to phytohemagglutinin (PHA) an d canine parvo-virus (CPV) vaccine monitored 0, 3, 8 weeks after vacci nation produced strong reactions, in particular those to CPV vaccine r ose significantly after vaccination and maintained the higher response s for at least 2 months. Therefore, it is considered that vaccination is immunomodulative rather than immunosuppressive and that DTH respons es to PHA and CPV vaccine are helpful to monitor non-specific and spec ific immune functions in vivo.