|
Vaccinations
Many
feline diseases can now be prevented through
vaccinations. A vaccination schedule prepared by
your veterinarian can thus greatly contribute to
good health and a longer life span for your cat.
The minimum
recommended vaccination protocol includes
vaccination against feline panleukopenia (feline
distemper), feline calicivirus, and feline
herpesvirus (a "3-way vaccine") at 9
and 12 weeks of age. Vaccination beginning at 6
weeks of age is strongly recommended. If a
cattery has had an outbreak of either
calicivirus or herpesvirus, then the use of an
intranasal vaccine against these two viruses is
strongly recommended at 3 weeks of age, with 3-
or 4-way vaccination begining at 6 weeks.
Vaccination against chlamydia, which also causes
upper respiratory disease, is recommended if
needed (it is included in "4-way"
feline vaccines); however, the immunity produced
against chlamydia is shorter than for the other
upper respiratory diseases, and should be
boostered at 6 month intervals for maximum
effectiveness. There are products available with
contain only the chlamydia vaccine, which could
be used for this purpose if needed. At this
time, I recommend annual boosters for 3-way
vaccinations in cattery situations,
although studies are underway to determine the
actual duration of immunity. For the usual
neutered or spayed pet cat that lives
strictly indoors, and either individually or in
small groups, after the cat is boostered at
approximately 1 year of age, boosters for the
core vaccines should be continued every 3 years
under recently published American Association of
Feline Practitioner guidelines. The core
vaccines are defined as those vaccines against
panleukopenia (feline distemper), calici virus,
and herpes virus. The AAFP also recommends
rabies vaccination every 3 years (using a
product licensed specifically for every three
year use, not an annual rabies vaccine)
where required by law. Please note that the
Canadian Veterinary Medical Association has not
adopted any changes in its vaccine protocol
recommendations, since the risk of
vaccine-associated fibrosarcoma is low, the risk
of infectious disease is unknown, and the fact
that feline immunity duration statistics come
from titers, not from disease challenge studies.
The CVMA warns that veterinarians are liable for
off-label vaccine use (i.e., using vaccines
labeled for annual use only every three years).
This issue is probably several years away from
being decided definitively.
Queens should be boostered 2-3 weeks or more
before breeding. Pregnant queens should never
be vaccinated with a modified live vaccine;
however, if a pregnant queen is very overdue for
her annual booster vaccination, then an
all-killed 3-way vaccine should be given at
mid-gestation (about 3-4 weeks before her due
date). This will allow her to have good antibody
levels in her blood and also in her colostrum
once the kittens are born.
Feline Leukemia is
a viral disease which can take several forms.
Some cats have transient infections with few ill
effects. Others have persistent infections
varying in severity, some of which may be fatal
over time. Extensive scientific research has
shown no relationship between feline leukemia
and human leukemia.
There are a variety of feline leukemia vaccines
available which are both safe and effective,
however, not all are equally effective.
Vaccination against feline leukemia is optional
and not medically necessary in a completely
closed cattery which isolates and screens all
incoming kittens and cats for FeLV (and FIV) as
described above. However, it does provide an
additional measure of protection in catteries
that provide or receive outside stud service.
Vaccination against FeLV does not substitute for
diligent testing, however. All our cats are
vaccinated against FeLV.
If a cattery houses any breeding cats outdoors,
or owns any other cats which are indoor/outdoor
pets, then FeLV vaccination is recommended.
These cats are at risk because they are
potentially exposed to free-roaming cats of
unknown FeLV status, and FeLV could be
transmitted through repeated contact with an
infected cat through a wire enclosure. The first
vaccination is at 9 weeks or older, with an
initial booster 3 weeks later. Annual boosters
are recommended for cats at risk. A blood test
for FeLV is strongly recommended before
vaccination; it is not harmful to vaccinate a
FeLV-positive cat, but it won't help either, and
may lead to a false sense of security.
Feline
Panleukopenia (feline distemper)
is among the most widespread of all cat
diseases, and is extremely contagious.
Characterized by fever, loss of appetite,
vomiting and diarrhea, feline panleukopenia
causes high death loss, particulary among
kittens.
Feline
viral rhinotrachcheitis (FVR) is
a highly contagious respiratory disease
characterized by sneezing, loss of appetite,
fever, and eye inflammation. As the disease
progresses, a disarge is noticeable from both
nose and eyes.
Feline
calicivirus (FCV) is another
serious feline respiratory infection. Often
occuring simultaneously with feline viral
rhinotracheitis. Signs of infection are similar
to FVR /fever, loss of appetite, nasal
discharge), but calicivirus-infected cats may
also have ulcers on the tongue.
Feline
pneumonitis, is caused by the
organism Chlamydia psittaci. Signs
of pneumonitis are similar to those of FVR and
FCV (sneezing, fever, loss of appetite, nasal
discharge, inflamed eyes).
There is no vaccine available at this time
against FIV. Fortunately, this virus is the
least contagious, generally requiring either
contact with infected blood (i.e., fighting) or
from sex. Outdoor, indoor/outdoor, and breeding
cats are at greatest risk. It is related to the
human AIDS virus (HIV), but is absolutely not
transmissible to humans.
FIP
is a
complex disease of cats caused by feline
infectious peritonitis virus. The most commonly
diagnosed clinical manifestation is accumulation
of fluid within the peritoneal cavity.
There is an FDA-approved intranasal vaccine on
the market at this time against FIP (Primucell).
It is thought to be safe, although its
effectiveness is widely questioned in the
veterinary medical community, and its routine
use is not recommended by most veterinarians.
Another drawback to this vaccine is that its use
does create antibodies which will show up on the
routinely used (but not highly specific) blood
screening test for FIP, so a positive result in
a vaccinated cat is very difficult to interpret.
All our cats are FIP screened, but we do not
vaccine against FIP for the reasons mentioned
above. Here
you can find more about FIP.
Rabies vaccination may be required for kittens
and cats in some states, counties and cities. It
is also required in some states even for kittens
and cats being shown from out of state. Rabies
is extremely uncommon in exclusively indoor cats
since they must be bitten by another rabid
animal in order to contract this disease.
Depending on what part of the country you live
in, rabies may be prevalent in raccoons, foxes,
skunks, coyotes and/or bats. Indoor/outdoor cats
and cats housed outdoors should be vaccinated
against rabies even if not required by law,
except in Hawaii and in some rabies-free foreign
countries in which such vaccination is not
performed. Rabies is one of the worldīs
most publicized and feared diseases. Rabies is a public health issue since
humans contract this disease from domestic and
wild animals. It is invariably fatal in animals,
and can be fatal in humans if they are not
treated before symptoms appear. Rabies virus
attacks the brain and central nervous system,
and it is transmitted to humans chiefly through
the bite of an infected animal. At present,
there are more reported cases of rabies in cats
than in dogs.
There is also a vaccine available which may help
in the treatment of dermatophytosis, commonly
called ringworm (Microsporum canis, a
fungus). The organism that most commonly causes
ringworm is a fungus which is highly contagious,
and is shared among cats, dogs, and humans.
There are other species of fungus which can also
cause ringworm, and this vaccine would not be
helpful in such cases. Definitive diagnosis is
made by culturing hair samples from suspected
cats; however, ringworm has a fairly typical
appearance and can be presumptively diagnosed by
your veterinarian based on the appearance of the
skin lesions. The vaccine does not prevent
ringworm, but it appears to improve the immune
response of affected cats and allow them to
recover and clear the fungus somewhat faster
than unvaccinated cats. Ringworm often requires
aggressive, long-term treatment which may
include a combination of topical dips, oral
medication, disinfection and vaccination. We do
not vaccine against fungus as we normally do not
have any problems with fungus in our country..
|
