Blood Titer Test

Does anyone know what exactly this test is? I have been asked by several vets 'What kind of blood test?'. I have been quoted as little as 30 (? which doesn't sound right) and as much as 200. My sister who works for a vet says there are different types of blood tests. Any help is much appreciated, thank-you!

Hi.  It's called a rabies titer and it's just the official USDA-approved rabies test.  They draw your pet's blood and send the "titer" to Kansas for the test.  Unless you're one of the Obamas or are overseas military, your pet's blood MUST be sent to Kansas for this test.  Any vet can do a rabies test, but DEFRA (the USDA of the UK) will only believe the USDA-approved lab in Kansas.  Here's a link with the address: http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/quarantine/pets/procedures/support-info/labs.htm.

I paid $200 for my cat's titer, but that included overnight shipping of the titer to KS.  If you take the sample yourself and FedEx it to KS, you might be able to save a lot of money.  Since it's blood, though, you have to be timely about it and send it in whatever bio-materials approved box they offer.

Good luck!  Feel free to PM me if you need more pet advice.  Shipping my cat over was the most stressful part of my whole move, so I like to help make it easier for other folks whenever I can.

Devinshire has covered it with great info.

I would add that vets fees for drawing the blood and sending it overnight to the Kansas lab can vary widely  -- I think mine were less than $200; if I'm not mistaken they might have been as low as $72 including blood draw and shipping to Kansas taken care of by my vet clinic.

Also, if I were you, I would let the vet take care of getting it overnighted to Kansas for you. Have him or her also fill out a form called the "FAVN" titer test form. This form with info about your cat, complete with microchip number, will be sent to Kansas with the sample. It will also be the one that is sent back by Kansas with the sticker that  has written on it the results.

I think the blood sample has to be packaged in a "cooler" type of container, a little like donor kidneys being couriered, so I would rather trust the vet to take care of the shipping to Kansas rather than try to send the sample myself, even though your vet will of course charge you for the FedExing etc.

Thanks soo much. Bringing my dog Sparkle over is turning out to be quite an ordeal but I want it to be the smoothest transition possible for her. I appreciate your advice and responses.