Here at Red Barn Ranch and Labradors we believe that making optimal use of vaccinations is critical to the good health of our puppies, therefore we perform nomographs on our expectant mothers. Using a canine nomograph allows us to better time puppy vaccinations.

A nomograph is a simple blood test that estimates the amount of distemper and parvovirus antibodies passed from a dam to her puppies through her colostrum. The nomograph also helps predict when the puppies are no longer protected by maternal antibodies and when the puppies will be able to respond to distemper and parvo vaccines.

High maternal antibodies in a puppy will neutralize viruses such as distemper and parvo. They will also ‘block vaccines given too early, interfering with immunization. That is why we rely on the canine nomograph.

We use the CAVIDS – Canine Animal Vaccines and Immuno-Diagnostic Service Labratory, located at the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Veterinary Medicine, in Madison, Wisconsin. Our veterinarian draws the blood and we ship the serum to CAVIDS for testing.

The nomograph we receive is unique to the dam of the litter and is an estimate of the age at which the maternal antibody that this mother passes to her pups will be dissipated and no longer capable of interfering with puppy vaccinations. We provide a copy of the nomograph to each of our puppy homes.

To read more about the canine nomograph visit: https://www.vetmed.wisc.edu/lab/cavids/canine-nomograph-what-is-it/