Community Chat

[TR_QVC_Addict]

As someone that works in the field, both at a general practice as well as ER, here are my thoughts. Vaccines: >Rabies-a non-question. I have yet to find a state that does not have a mandate requiring a current vaccine. Most offices will even waive an office visit fee if you let them know rabies is all you want given. If your kitty gets out, gets scared, and bites someone...the minimum is a quarantine for a certain period of time, the maximum is the kitty being euthanized and tested for rabies (you do not want to know what that involves). >FELV (Feline Leukemia)-only necessary during kitten vaccinations and as long as the kitty will NEVER go outside where there is possible exposure. >FVRCP (distemper) - necessary when a kitten and still highly recommended every few years. We have moved to a vaccine that is approved for use every 3 years. However, you can ask the vet to run a titer to determine the level of antibody still present in kitty's blood. If the level is still high enough, no vaccine. If the level is too low, most places will give the vax for free as the titer is more expensive. > FIV vaccines are really not that reliable and we do not offer them. All indoor kitties should have the rabies vax. All kitty owners should request the 1 year vaccine only. The adjuvant used in the three year version has been known, on occasion, to cause localized injection site sarcomas. We only will give the 3 years if it is a feral that cannot be caught frequently, or an extremely fractious cat that has the potential to cause bodily harm! Preventatives: All kitties should have a heart worm preventative. This disease in kitties is impossible to treat once contracted (we can treat dogs-they may not survive the treatment, but at least there is the option) and is always fatal. The symptoms mimic asthma in many cases. It only takes one bad mosquito to infect your angel. A product like Revolution is great because it prevents heart worm, fleas, ticks, ear mites, and even keeps some intestinal parasites from making a home in their GI tract. If you have any potted plants in your house, or if you walk outside and do not remove your shoes when you get inside, those are two carriers that most people do not think about. Heart guard is a cute heart shaped treat given monthly to address heart worm only and is also a great option. Whatever you decide in terms of vaccinations/preventatives, just make sure you take your kitties in for vet check ups at least once a year, possibly every 6 months once they are either over 9 or have an underlying issue that needs to be monitored. We most commonly see thyroid issues and kidney issues as the felines age. There are treatments that could have been started sooner and ensured a longer and better quality of life if only we saw the patients more regularly! As someone that is the mom to three feline fur babies, it is something close to my heart and based on the kinds of cases I see everyday at work. These furry angels just want love and care, and considering how much they give to us to enrich our lives, I always stress the importance of doing what we can to keep them healthy :-) Sorry for writing so much, but I have a passion for these things :-). Also, sorry for any wonky formatting. I am on my iPad as I am laying down to sleep soon (I work the overnight hours at an ER vet).

[lulu2]

My sister's cats are indoor ones. They have all kitty vaccines then rabies when needed.

[MyBoyRusty]

My cat is a inside cat and he's due his 3 year rabies shot but I'm afraid to get it because it might make him sick or cause one of those knots to form.

[TR_QVC_Addict]

Most offices now carry both three and one year versions. Give them a call and see what they say. Instances of a bad reaction to the three year version are few and far between, but we like to play it safe. It's a great way to open a discussion with your vet in terms of taking a more proactive involvement :-)

[Moonlady]

On 7/20/2014 baker said:

I think rabies vaccine is a must for all cats, but I do agree cats are over vaccinated.

ITA. Some vets push too many vaccines, and those are the ones who won't even treat your cat if you balk. It's also not helpful that the "experts" can't even agree on what's required, how often, and where the inoculation should be (i.e., in the shoulder, or in a limb so that the limb can be amputated if vaccine-induced carcinoma occurs).

Pet "experts" do people no favor when they issue contradictory information and act indignant when pet owners question them about something so important.

[lovesrecess]

my vet, who treats only cats, said my older cat should not get anymore vaccines because they are too hard on older cats; I think she was 10 at the time and lived til age 19; she was an indoor-only kitty too

[PIT-HAG Melissa]

No and many states do not require them... Check your laws to be sure..

Here is the current list..

https://www.avma.org/Advocacy/StateAndLocal/Documents/Rabies%20state%20law%20chart.pdf

ALL of my babies lived VERY healthy lives and passed between 16 and 19 yrs old except my baby who had cancer...

[Clover29]

On 7/21/2014 JustMeMelissa said:

No and many states do not require them... Check your laws to be sure..

Here is the current list..

https://www.avma.org/Advocacy/StateAndLocal/Documents/Rabies%20state%20law%20chart.pdf

ALL of my babies lived VERY healthy lives and passed between 16 and 19 yrs old except my baby who had cancer...

Which states don't require rabies? I was under the impression they all do, and the only difference between states is that some allow three-yearly, while others insist on annual.

Other vaccinations are not mandated, but the pdf above is about rabies.

[PIT-HAG Melissa]

ALL states are NOT the same, research ...

[Burnsite]

Just to say that the purevax rabies vaccine, given annually, is how I keep my promise to the rescue org. It is gentler than the 3-year.

My wonderful Jay had such a bad reaction to a rabies 3-year shot that I thought I was going to lose him. This is why I thought twice about my promise before adopting my cats. But my vet explained about how prevalent rabies is in FL (I don't have mice in my house, for instance, but mice have it down here and one could come in). She explained a mouse was an unlikely vector but that the purevax is not prone to side effects. My cats are not even sleepy or too quiet the next day, at least so far. I'm always nervous about the inoculations, though: one is coming up and I worry about my delicate boy Percy. (He looks like a mid-weight wrestler, but his innards are very delicate. So far, no bad reaction to purevax.)