IMMUNOLOGICAL RESPONSES AFTER VACCINATION PRESURGERY AND POSTSURGERY IN DOGS

The effects of several commercially available vaccinations pre- and po st-surgery on immune responses by monitoring the blastogenic responses of lymphocytes and humoral antibody responses in dogs were examined. Twenty clinical patients presented for surgery were studied. Canine pa rvovirus (CPV) serum antibody titers increased by twofold or more in 1 7 of 20 dogs and many dogs had an increase by day 7. In 3 of 4 dogs mo derate hemagglutination inhibition (HI) titers (128 to 256) at the tim e of vaccination increased by twofold or more. Canine distemper virus serum antibody titers in 4 of 8 dogs with HI titers (< or = 32) at the time of vaccination had increased by twofold or more. In the blastoge nic responses of lymphocytes to Concanavalin A and phytohemagglutinin, most dogs responded with a slight decrease following vaccination, but no significant change was noted. No adverse reaction caused by vaccin ation was noted and comparatively good production of serum antibody ti ters (CPV especially) was seen. Vaccination pre- and post-surgery neit her induce severe immunosuppression, nor potentiate the severity of co ncurrent disease, and did not cause inapparent infection to become cli nically apparent.