Feline Vaccines Recommendations
All Vaccines are given at
site-specific locations in accordance with American Association of Feline
Practitioners recommendations.
Note:
Cats that are taken to Boarding, Grooming, and Show may need more
frequent vaccinations to comply with facility requirements.
Organizations that sponsor or operate these types of activities have a
unique situation because of their liability to protect the pets under their
care. The current official labeling
on vaccines still recommends annual boosters.
For these reasons they may require more frequent vaccinations.
Breeding
females may need more frequent vaccines to aid in passive transfer of
antibodies.
Core Feline Vaccines
After booster of these 3 vaccines
at 1 year we may rotate them in low risk cats effectively administering each,
once every three years, with the cat receiving one each year.
*
Rabies
Rabies
is an increasing threat in cats. At
present, the number of reported feline rabies cases in the United States far
exceeds that of dogs and all other domestic animals. Rabies is routinely fatal
and is a major public health concern. Because
of the potential for human exposure, rabies vaccination is recommended for all
cats and is required by law in many parts of the country.
We feel that rabies vaccination
is important for every cat, as one never knows under what circumstances a cat
will bite someone. If a cat bites,
the health department may determine the fate of that cat based in part on its
rabies vaccination history. Even if
a cat does not go outside and even if the owner is positive that no bats can
gain access to indoors, we feel this extra insurance is worth having.
First
Rabies Vaccine is given at 16 weeks of age, then 1 year later, and then every
three years in our state.
If Rabies Vaccine status is
unknown in a patient no matter what age it is, the first known vaccination is
assumed to be a 1 yr. Vaccine
*
FVR-CP
Polyvalent
MLV vaccine for Feline Herpesvirus, Feline Calicivirus and Panleukopenia
Feline panleukopenia (also
called feline distemper) is a highly contagious and deadly viral disease.
Symptoms include extreme listlessness and loss of appetite.
Fever, vomiting, and diarrhea are frequently seen, but some cats die
suddenly with few clinical signs. A
high percentage of cats with panleukopenia-especially kittens-die from the
infection. Feline panleukopenia
virus is shed in the feces of an infected cat and can survive extremes of
temperature and humidity for months to years. The virus is resistant to most
available disinfectants.
Until recent years panleukopenia
was the most serious infectious disease of cats, killing thousands every year.
Thanks to the highly effective vaccines currently available, panleukopenia is
now considered an uncommon disease. Immunity induced by panleukopenia vaccines
is excellent, and most vaccinated cats are completely protected from infection
and disease. Vaccination is
recommended for all cats.
Feline Herpesvirus (the cause of
feline viral rhinotracheitis) and Feline Calicivirus are estimated to be
responsible for 80-90% of infectious feline upper respiratory tract diseases.
Although usually not life threatening in adult cats, disease caused by
these viruses may be severe-and sometimes fatal-in kittens.
Sneezing, runny eyes, runny nose, and fever are the most typical signs of
infection. In addition to upper
respiratory tract disease, lameness and chronic oral inflammatory disease have
been linked to calicivirus infection. Both
viruses are shed in secretions from the nose, eyes, and mouth of infected cats.
Cats become infected by direct exposure to infected individuals, either
from sneezed droplets, or from contaminated objects such as food and water
dishes.
Most cats are exposed to either
or both of these viruses at some time during their lives, usually during
kittenhood. Once infected, many
cats never completely rid themselves of viruses.
These carrier cats shed viruses either continuously or intermittently for
long periods of time-perhaps for life-and serve as a major source of infection
to other cats. Reports on duration of immunity beyond one year are based on
antibody titers and not challenge. These
may not accurately reflect protective immunity.
Protection induced by the currently available vaccines minimizes the
severity of disease, but does not prevent disease in all cats.
Nonetheless, vaccination is recommended for all cats.
Given
starting at 8 -9 weeks of age and then 3 - 4 weeks later
Annual vaccination at 1 year of
age and then every 1 to 3 years
Interval of booster vaccination
after 1 year based on risk of exposure. Cats at high risk, such as those
entering boarding facilities or shown frequently at cat shows, may benefit from
more frequent revaccination.
*
Feline Leukemia
Feline
leukemia virus (FeLV) is the leading viral killer of cats. There is no cure,
though cats can be treated to extend and enhance the quality of life.
The virus is spread in the saliva and nasal secretions of infected cats;
infection is transmitted through contact with infected cats, bite wounds, or
from an infected mother cat to her kittens.
It can also be transmitted between cats on objects, such as combs and
food dishes. Disease caused by FeLV
is very serious, and it is estimated that fewer than 20 percent of persistently
infected cats will survive more than three years after being infected. Anemia (a
deficiency of oxygen-carrying red blood cells), cancer, and secondary infections
resulting from immune deficiency are the most common consequences of infection.
Outdoor
cats, indoor/outdoor cats, stray/feral cats, and cats exposed to such
individuals are at greatest risk of exposure to FeLV. Cats living in households
with FeLV-infected cats, with cats of unknown infection status or cats in open
multi-cat households are also at risk. Kittens
younger than 4 months of age appear to be much more susceptible to infection
than are adult cats. Indoor-only
single adult cats with little chance of exposure to potentially infected cats or
cats in closed multi-cat households that are tested negative, are not likely to
be exposed or infected. Because no vaccine will induce protection in all cats,
avoiding exposure to infected cats remains the single best way to prevent your
cat from becoming infected.
We
highly recommended an initial series of vaccinations for “all” cats,
especially kittens under 6 months of age. Future exposures are hard to predict. Many kittens do not remain indoor cats. Sometimes exclusively
indoor cats escape. Most cats do
not remain the only cat in the household. Sometimes
friends or relatives bring cats to visit.
Given
starting at 9 weeks of age and then 3 - 4 weeks later, booster 1 year later.
Annual vaccination recommended
in high risk patients
For cats that are truly indoor
only, the FeLV vaccine may be discontinued after the 1 year booster.
Vaccination
should be administered in conjunction with a FeLV/FIV testing protocol.
We recommend that ALL cats be tested at 9 weeks of age or later for FeLV
and at 6 months of age or greater for FIV.
False positive FIV tests may occur in cats less than 6 months of age due
to maternal antibody interference with the test.
False negative FeLV tests can be seen in kittens under 9 weeks of age due
to insufficient circulating antigen. Positive FeLV individuals should have
follow-up testing done to determine if they are transiently or persistently
infected.
Non-Core
Feline Vaccines
* Chlamydia pssitaci
Disease results in
conjunctivitis (inflammation of the tissues lining the eyelids and covering part
of the eyeball) most commonly, but sneezing and nasal discharge may also occur.
Disease is easily treated and management and hygiene protocols are
important in limiting it within an environment. The chlamydia are transmitted through direct contact with an
infected cat, and the highest rates of infection are in cats between five weeks
and nine months of age, especially those residing in multiple-cat environments
with a history of respiratory tract disease.
Cats vaccinated against chlamydiosis are not protected from infection but
are expected to experience less severe disease if infected.
Adverse reactions associated with chlamydia vaccines are more common than
with many other feline vaccines, but the reactions are usually mild and resolve
with treatment. Vaccination is recommended if your cat resides in a multiple-cat
environment where chlamydiosis has been confirmed in other cats.
It is reasonable to vaccinate
cats at high risk of exposure.
* Feline Infectious
Peritonitis (FIP)
Feline
infectious peritonitis (FIP) results from infection with a feline coronavirus.
Many different strains of the coronavirus can infect cats, but most do
not produce serious disease: usually less than 1 to 5 percent of
coronavirus-infected cats develop FIP. Coronaviruses
are shed primarily in the feces of infected cats. Most cats become infected by
ingesting the virus, either as a result of direct contact with an infected cat
or by exposure to virus-contaminated surfaces such as litter boxes, feeding
bowls, bedding, clothing, or toys. A
high percentage of cats residing in multiple-cat environments are exposed and
ultimately infected with feline coronavirus, but exposure is far less common in
households with fewer cats. Even though cats of all ages can develop the
disease, most of those that develop FIP are younger than two years. Individuals
with FIP rarely survive regardless of treatment. A vaccine to prevent FIP is available, but considerable
controversy surrounds its ability to prevent disease. Vaccine induced antibody enhancement of the disease in
infected animals has been suggested, but has not been proven.
The vaccine is only licensed for use in cats over 16 weeks of age, but
kittens in a coronavirus endemic household are likely to have been exposed by
that time. Management is the key to
elimination of morbidity with FIP.
It is reasonable to vaccinate
cats at high risk of exposure.
*
Bordetella bronchiseptica
Bordetella
bronchiseptica is a bacteria that can cause disease of the respiratory tract in
cats. Cats are believed to become
infected by breathing the bacteria into their noses.
Cats with bordetellosis may cough, have a runny nose or runny eyes,
sneeze, and occasionally have a fever but natural infection with minimal
clinical signs is common and generally resolves spontaneously.
The disease rarely warrants intervention, but responds to antibiotics. Management and hygiene are key to limiting morbidity
and possible mortality associated with the disease. Adverse reactions comparable to the disease itself have
been reported with this vaccine.
We do not stock or recommend
this vaccine.
* Microsporum canis
Ringworm,
or dermatophytosis, is a skin disease usually caused by the fungus Microsporum
canis. Ringworm can take many forms
and may mimic virtually any feline skin disease.
Kittens tend to be the most frequently and severely affected, but cats of
any age can develop the disease. Infection
results from exposure to fungal spores on the skin and hair of infected cats,
either by direct contact with these cats or by exposure to fungal spores
persisting in households where infected cats have resided.
Microsporum canis spores hidden in carpeting, upholstered surfaces, and
nooks and crannies can infect cats for many months to years.
The currently available ringworm vaccine doesn't prevent infection,
eliminate the fungus from infected cats, or completely protect cats from
disease. The manufacturer has shown the vaccine to hasten resolution of disease
in some cats. The vaccine is not
recommende for routine use. Treatment and management protocols are the key to control of
this disease.
We do not stock or recommend
this vaccine.
* Giardia lamblia
Infection
with this single-celled parasite, may be associated with gastrointestinal tract
disease of either short or long duration. Diarrhea
is the most commonly encountered sign of infection.
The organism is shed in the feces of infected animals, and other animals
become infected by drinking contaminated water, by direct exposure to an
infected animal (such as through mutual grooming), by exposure to contaminated
litter boxes, and from consuming prey. Giardiasis
tends to be a greater problem in some multiple-cat households.
Vaccine will diminish oocyst shedding and possibly the clinical signs
associated with infection, but will not prevent the infection itself.
Management, hygiene, and treatment (fenbendazole) are preferred control
methods over vaccination
We do not stock this vaccine.
* Feline Immunodeficiency
Virus (FIV)
FIV-infected
cats are found worldwide, but the prevalence of infection varies greatly.
Infected cats may appear normal for years.
However, infection eventually leads to a state of immune deficiency that
hinders the cat's ability to protect itself against other infections.
Because biting is the most efficient means of viral transmission,
free-roaming, aggressive male cats are the most frequently infected, while cats
housed exclusively indoors are very much less likely to be infected.
Vaccinated cats develop
antibodies to the inactivated virus present in the vaccine. Currently available
antibody-based FIV diagnostic tests cannot distinguish vaccinated cats from FIV-infected
cats or from cats that are both vaccinated and infected.
There are also concerns about the vaccines ability to protect cats from
the virus subtypes and strains that are most common in the United States.
We do not stock or recommend
this vaccine.