Diagnostics: Dog and cat

Rabies is a serious viral disease that can be transmitted from animals to humans. Reliable diagnostic testing supports the safe international movement of animals and contributes to the global control of this zoonotic disease.

This depends on the laws of the country concerned. It is best to contact the embassy or consulate of the country to which the animals will ultimately be travelling to ask about the import and export requirements (ambassade.startpagina.nl)(Dutch).

An antibody titre test is sometimes required after vaccination. This test determines the amount of antibodies in the blood (the titre). The result shows whether the vaccination has worked properly and whether the animal is sufficiently protected against rabies. Ask your veterinarian and/or the embassy of the country you are travelling to for advice.

You can find the prices in the price list (Dutch).

Wageningen Bioveterinary Research performs the FAVN test in accordance with the prescribed OIE guideline. We are officially recognised by the EU for this purpose. The test we perform is accredited to ISO 17025 by the Dutch Accreditation Council.

Once WBVR has received the blood sample, it takes 8 to 12 days for the result to become available.

After vaccination, the reference value must be greater than or equal to 0.5 IU/ml (≥ 0.5 IU/ml). IU stands for International Units. In most cases, a single vaccination is not sufficient. After a one-off vaccination, protection against rabies is at its highest after 4 to 6 weeks and usually decreases again afterwards. After repeated vaccination (2 to more than 3 times), the level of protection remains sufficient for a longer period. Different vaccines are available; ask your veterinarian for advice.

Wageningen Bioveterinary Research in Lelystad is the officially recognised EU laboratory in the Netherlands that performs the antibody titre test. You can request this test from us using the “rabies serology” order form (green button above).

For rabies serology, it is best to send us serum only (the liquid component of blood). Package the serum as a diagnostic specimen (packing instruction P650, page 137). Most couriers, such as TNT, UPS, DHL and FedEx, are familiar with the packaging requirements and can assist you.

These are the animal’s identification details. Under sample identification, enter the animal’s microchip number or tattoo code. One of these codes must be recorded in the animal passport.

A minimum of 1 ml serum or 3 ml clotted blood is required per animal.

The reference value indicates the level of protection against rabies. WBVR determines this value using the serology test and expresses it as the “titre”. Depending on the country of import, the reference value must be greater than or equal to 0.5 IU/ml (≥ 0.5 IU/ml). IU stands for International Units. The reference value is recorded in the animal passport, on the page where the veterinarian enters the test result.

• If the vaccination is not repeated, the titre gradually decreases. If, after having been sufficiently high for years, the titre has now become too low, it is advisable to have your pet vaccinated again. The manufacturer recommends that dogs and cats be vaccinated once every three years. Advice: repeat the vaccination.
• The vaccination was not administered correctly. The vaccine may not have been dissolved properly or, for example, not all of the liquid may have been injected correctly under the skin. In that case, your animal may develop insufficient immunity to rabies and we will therefore find a titre that is too low. Advice: repeat the vaccination.
• The vaccine was less effective. Vaccines are always produced in large quantities. A batch may be less effective, or the vaccine may have been stored incorrectly. In both cases, the vaccine is less effective and the animal develops insufficient immunity to rabies. Advice: repeat the vaccination.
• Your pet had an infection at the time of vaccination. If your pet is ill when it is vaccinated, it may develop less immunity to rabies. Advice: repeat the vaccination.
• Your pet was still too young when it was vaccinated. Your pet must be at least three months old before it can be vaccinated against rabies. Young animals receive antibodies through their mother’s milk. If many of these antibodies are still present in the young animal’s blood, it may not respond sufficiently to the vaccination. Advice: repeat the vaccination.
• The test was performed too soon after vaccination. If blood is collected from your pet for the antibody titre test too soon after vaccination, your pet may not have had sufficient time to respond to the vaccination. There must be at least three weeks between vaccination and blood collection for the antibody titre test. Advice: repeat the test if it was performed within three weeks of vaccination; otherwise, repeat the vaccination.

In almost all cases where a titre that is too low is found, it is advisable to have your pet vaccinated or revaccinated. Blood can then be tested again for the rabies antibody titre three weeks after vaccination.

You will receive this result if the submitted test material contains toxic substances that are harmful to the cell culture needed to perform the test. As a result, the cultured cells die prematurely, the test cannot be read and the result is reported as SIT. Toxic reactions may occur as a result of vaccinations the animal has previously received. In such a situation, a newly collected sample will unfortunately often show another toxic reaction. Another possible cause of a toxic reaction is poor sample quality (haemolysed, lipaemic, not kept cool or too old). In such cases, a new, good-quality sample will often allow the test to be performed successfully. It may sometimes help to collect blood from the animal while it is fasting.

Testing for Brucella canis may be required for the import of dogs or within international breeding programmes. This bacterium causes brucellosis in dogs and can also infect humans. Early detection helps prevent further spread.

Avian influenza is a notifiable animal disease. If a dog or cat may have been in contact with an infected wild bird, first contact the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) on +31 (0)900 0388. Following consultation, we can perform the required laboratory diagnostics.