Why Should I Vaccinate My Cat If A Sarcoma Can Develop
Vaccines are administered to protect cats against diseases they can easily acquire and those that could have fatal consequences if your cat is not protected. In the case of rabies, it is imperative to follow the vaccination rules your state has in place to prevent animal health and public health risks from this almost invariably fatal disease. Talk to your veterinarian about which vaccinations are the most important for your cat. The lifestyle of the cat and previous incidence of FISS should be taken into consideration. However, as always, your veterinarian should be consulted.
Adult And Senior Cats Over 1 Year Old Every Year
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It all depends on you and your cat but most cats should receive booster shots. Rabies vaccination is an important and required vaccine for all cats. Therefore its a good idea for indoor and outdoor cats to get regular rabies shots.
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How often do dogs need rabies shots. Certified Veterinarians are Online. Ad Dont Bother With Crates or Transporting Your Pet.
My vet tells me that my indoor-only. Cats often need shots at least once every year or every after three years. That meant that starting at the age of 12 weeks a cat would need to receive the.
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Basic Vaccine Schedule For Cats
Cat vaccinations can get confusing. Not only are there different schedules and needed vaccines for cats and kittens, but there are also some extra vaccines for different lifestyles.
Its difficult for pet parents to understand their cats vaccination schedulefrom which ones they need to how often they need them.
While there are certain mandatory, or core vaccines for cats, there are also noncore vaccines for different lifestyles or vaccines that are only recommended during the kitten years.
Your veterinarian is your best resource for figuring out the best vaccine routine for your feline family member, but this chart will help you understand the basics.
To help you navigate the world of feline vaccines, the chart covers a kittens vaccination schedule all the way into adulthood.
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Rabies Vaccination Side Effects
The rabies vaccine, although extremely safe, does carry some risk of side effects.
Some common side effects of the rabies vaccineand other vaccines like FPV, FCV, and FeLVinclude:
- Discomfort at the vaccination site
- Swelling or a lump at the vaccination site
- Low-grade fever
- Lack of appetite
Rarely, cats may experience more serious side effects to the rabies vaccine. Anaphylaxis, a severe allergic reaction, can cause life-threatening symptoms.
Is My Kitten Protected After Their First Round Of Shots
Until they have received all of their vaccinations , your kitten will not be fully vaccinated. Once all of their initial vaccinations have been completed, your kitten will be protected against the diseases or conditions covered by the vaccines.
If youd like to allow your kitten outdoors before they have been vaccinated against all the diseases listed above, we recommend keeping them restricted to low-risk areas, like your own backyard.
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What Is The Rabies Antibody Titre Test
The rabies titre test measures the effectiveness of the rabies vaccine by checking for the presence of antibodies in the blood. When your pet receives the rabies vaccine, they produce antibodies as an immune response to the vaccine. These antibodies help protect your pet from the disease. The RNAT test measures the level of antibodies in the blood to check if your pet is sufficiently immunised against the virus.
The sample for the test is usually drawn about 30 days after the pet is vaccinated. This test is significant for pets travelling from countries where rabies is prevalent to a rabies-free country. An antibody level of 0.5 IU/ml or more suggests that your pet has been adequately immunised against the virus.
Causes Of Rabies In Cats
The most common way for a cat to become infected is through a bite from an infected animal where the virus is transmitted by the saliva. Rarely, the saliva or nerve tissue of an infected animal can contaminate a cats open wound or the mucous membranes of the eyes, nose, or mouth, leading to transmission of the virus without a bite occurring.
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Symptoms Of Adverse Reaction To Rabies Vaccine In Cats
Your cat may exhibit mild signs of an adverse or allergic reaction to the rabies vaccine. Those signs generally lessen over a few days and then resolve. Your cat may also develop serious signs from their vaccine that will need veterinary intervention and treatment. If you notice any of these signs, mild or severe, contact your veterinarian for an immediate appointment.
Signs of a mild reaction or allergy to the rabies vaccine in cats include:
- Swelling at the injection site
- Pain at or near the injection site
Signs of a serious reaction to the rabies vaccine in cats include:
Vaccine Associated Fibrosarcoma
This is the development of a cancerous tumor at the injection site. The tumor can develop from a few weeks to a year after the vaccination has been given.
Organ Damage
The protein that is in the rabies vaccine can potentially damage your cats kidneys, liver and/or central nervous system. Organ damage can occur up to 45 days after the vaccination has been given.
Anaphylactic Shock
Immediate veterinary care is required if your cat experiences anaphylactic shock, death can occur quickly without prompt treatment. While uncommon, signs of anaphylactic shock include facial swelling, difficulty breathing, coma, seizures, or death.
If So Few People Get Rabies Why Do I Have To Vaccinate My Pets
Every year in Washington, hundreds of people must undergo the series of shots to prevent rabies, called post-exposure prophylaxis or PEP, because they are potentially exposed to the virus. If we control rabies in domestic animals, we can reduce the number of potential human rabies cases. Pets are more likely to contact wild animals, such as bats, that may have rabies. Vaccinating pets is one of the best ways to protect people and pets. By reducing the risk, fewer people will need costly, and stressful, rabies treatment shots.
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Does My Indoor Cat Need The Rabies Vaccine
It is very important that all cats are vaccinated against rabies, including cats that are never outside.
While your cat may be kept indoors, this doesn’t mean they won’t ever escape or that wildlife will not find its way into your home.
Bats often find themselves inside homes after coming down chimneys or making their way into attics. Cats also instinctively hunt bats. Furry felines are more likely to chase and try to play with or catch a bat. Raccoons also sometimes make their way into attics.
To eliminate the risk for rabies, having your cat vaccinated is the best choice.
How Do We Approach Vaccination If My Cat Has Had An Injection
Some veterinarians suggest that additional vaccines be minimized and when re-vaccination is necessary , they sometimes consider use of a non-adjuvanted or non-injectable vaccine. Many veterinarians are placing vaccines in sites that would make tumor removal easier should a FISS occur for example, placement low on the leg instead of in the interscapular space or even vaccination on the tail.
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How Often Do Cats Need Rabies Shots
After the one-year booster, cats should receive a booster shot every one or three years, depending on the rabies vaccine used.
After your cat receives a rabies vaccine, she might experience soreness where the vaccine was injected for a few days. Some cats feel sleepy or lazy after getting a rabies shot, but this is usually short-lived.
Rabies Vaccine Reaction In Cats
If your cat develops any of the following symptoms within a few hours of getting the rabies vaccine, call your veterinarian or an emergency veterinary hospital:
- Facial swelling
If your cat experiences an allergic reaction to the rabies vaccine, it doesnt automatically mean she cant ever be vaccinated again.
Your veterinarian will work with you to determine a plan for future rabies vaccines, such as giving the rabies vaccine separately from other vaccines, administering a medication prior to giving the rabies vaccines to prevent a reaction or, in some cases, not giving the vaccine again.
Feline injection-site sarcomas can also occur with any vaccine, including the rabies vaccine.
FISSs are rare, occurring in approximately 1 out of every 10,000 to 30,000 vaccinations. FISSs are cancerous tumors that develop at the injection site months or even years later. If you find a lump where your cat got her rabies shot, contact your veterinarian immediately. Although most lumps do not go on to become FISSs, your veterinarian will closely monitor it to make sure it goes away on its own.
Rabies vaccines are something many cats need, either due to the law or the cats individual risk. Cat owners should talk to their veterinarians to find out if their cat needs a rabies vaccine, and how often rabies booster vaccinations are needed.
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When Should I Schedule Kitten Vaccinations And Cat Vaccinations
You should schedule your kitten vaccinations as soon as you get your new kitten. Regardless of the age, your new kitten should be seen by a veterinarian as soon as possible. It is important to get a preventive health care plan in place including vaccinations, deworming, and flea control. In addition, we will spend time discussing behavioral training to make sure your kitten develops good behaviors and becomes a great pet.
Plan on spending at least thirty minutes during your first visit. This is a great time to get all your questions answered on kitten care and discuss the recommended preventive program with our veterinary team.
An adult cat vaccination schedule, which includes periodic booster immunizations, will be scheduled one year after the kitten vaccination schedule has been completed.
As with any other immunization protocol, a cat vaccination schedule should be adhered to without deviation, to ensure your cat remains healthy and well for the duration of his or her life. We cannot control all health issues but we can prevent the majority of infectious diseases with the proper vaccine schedule.
Lifestyle Vaccines For Cats
Lifestyle vaccines are appropriate for some cats depending on their lifestyle, but not necessary for all cats. Your vet is in the best position to recommend which lifestyle vaccines your cat should have.
Lifestyle vaccines protection against:
- Feline immunodeficiency virus and Feline Leukemia – These vaccines protect against viral infections that are transmitted via close contact. They are only usually recommended for cats that spend time outdoors.
- Bordetella – This bacteria causes upper respiratory infections that are highly contagious. This vaccine may be recommended by your vet if you are taking your cat to a groomer or boarding kennel.
- Chlamydophila felis – Chlamydia is a bacterial infection that causes severe conjunctivitis . The vaccination for the infection is often included in the distemper combination vaccine.
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Can I Catch Rabies
Yes, the disease is zoonotic, meaning it can be transmitted from an animal to hummans. However, it is only transmitted by the bite of a rabid animal. The virus is present in the saliva of the infected animal only for a limited time.
“…seek the advice of a doctor without delay.”
If you are bitten by any animal that may be rabid, you should immediately wash the wound thoroughly with soap and water and seek the advice of a doctor without delay. Suspicious animals include stray or feral dogs or cats and any wild animal, particularly if the animal is showing unusual behavior such as lack of fear of people, excessive salivation, or aggression.
In February of 2018 the World Health Organization issued a new rabies vaccination and post-exposure recommendation. Those who have been bitten and have not previously been vaccinated for rabies should receive immunoglobulin promptly, followed by a series of vaccines. Those previously vaccinated do not require immunoglobulin, but will still receive several vaccines again the virus.
The Rabies Virus & How It Spreads
Most often found in wild animals such as foxes, raccoons and skunks, rabies is a serious disease that can result in a devastating prognosis for unvaccinated cats. For our feline friends, this infection is most often fatal.
Animals suffering from the effects of rabies will commonly display signs of heightened aggression. Most states require pets diagnosed with Rabies to be put down since the disease spreads easily through saliva. All mammals are capable of catching rabies via the bite of an infected animal, so it’s essential to protect your pet with an anti-rabies vaccine.
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Signs & Symptoms Of Rabies In Cats
It can take up to a year for symptoms to materialize after the initial bite that infects a cat. How quickly the symptoms of rabies develop may depend on the following:
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The site of infection. The closer the bite is to the brain and the spinal cord the faster the virus reaches the nervous tissues and causes symptoms. The further the wound is from the brain, the longer the incubation period.
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The severity of the bite.
Signs and symptoms of the rabies virus include:
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Sudden and severe change in behavior
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An unfriendly cat becomes friendly, and vice versa
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Loss of appetite, apprehension or nervousness, irritability, hyperexcitability
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Unexplained paralysis that gets worse as time passes
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Drooling, foaming at the mouth, difficulty swallowing
Rabies progresses in three stages:
Prodromal Stage: first 23 days of symptoms
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Change in personality/temperament
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Larynx begins to spasm, change in voice may occur
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Licking or scratching of the bite that caused the infection
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Quiet cats become agitated, possibly aggressive
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Outgoing cats may become shy or nervous
Excitative or Furious Stage: the next 17 days
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Classified as the mad dog stage
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No fear, possible hallucinations
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Increasingly nervous, irritable, vicious
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If confined, a rabid cat will often attack the bars of the cage
Paralytic Stage: the final 24 days
What Is Rabies In Cats
Rabies is a viral disease that is nearly always fatal in affected animals, including cats. The good news is that you can prevent rabies in your cat with a simple vaccine. Its always a good idea to ensure your cats are current on their vaccinations.
Rabies acts by attacking the central nervous system , spreading through the nervous system until it reaches the brain. Infected animals experience paralysis that inevitably involves the respiratory system and leads to death.
Rabies can affect any mammal, including humans. Animals that host and spread viruses like rabies are known as reservoirs for the disease. Host reservoirs for rabies include skunks, weasels, and bats. Cats are relatively resistant to the dog rabies variant, but are not considered a reservoir species for the virus.
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Why Should I Get My Indoor Cat Vaccinated
Though you may not think your indoor cat requires vaccinations, by law cats must have certain vaccinations in many states. For example, a common law requires cats over the age of 6 months to be vaccinated against rabies. In return for the vaccinations, your veterinarian will provide you with a vaccination certificate, which should be stored in a safe place.
When considering your cats health, its always prudent to be cautious, as cats are often curious by nature. Our vets recommend core vaccinations for indoor cats to protect them against diseases they could be exposed to if they happen to escape the safety of your home.
Cat Vaccines
There are two basic types of vaccinations for cats.
Core vaccinations should be given to all cats, as they are essential for protecting them against the following common but serious feline conditions:
Rabies
Rabies kills many mammals every year. These vaccinations are required by law for cats in most states.
Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis, Calicivirus and Panleukopenia Typically known as the distemper shot, this combination vaccine protects against feline viral rhinotracheitis, calicivirus and panleukopenia.
Feline herpesvirus type I
Non-core vaccinations are appropriate for some cats depending on their lifestyle. Your vet will provide advice about which non-core vaccines your cat should have. These offer protection against:
Feline immunodeficiency virus and Feline Leukemia
Bordetella
Chlamydophila felis
Schedule For Cat Rabies Vaccine
Cat rabies vaccines are given on a schedule that will vary depending on the brand of vaccine that your vet uses and will either be every year or every three years. Your vet will let you know how often your cat should have a rabies vaccine.
Most vets offer vaccines without adjuvants – ingredients that proved effective in preventing rabies but caused an allergic reaction in some cats. These vaccines may or may not be more expensive than vaccines with adjuvants, which are just as effective at preventing rabies but have a higher potential for causing rare side effects, depending on the individual veterinary practice and any existing state legislation on rabies vaccination in cats.
Older non-adjuvant vaccines only lasted for a year, and so yearly booster shots were required. Newer vaccines have been developed which require a single booster a year after the first vaccination, followed by boosters every three years after that these vaccines are considerably more expensive, however, so some veterinarians opt to stick with the older vaccine technology. If you ask your vet “how often should my cat have a rabies vaccine?” they will be able to tell you about what vaccination options they offer and what schedule is best for your cat.
Kittens should begin their rabies vaccination treatment at about 12 weeks old. If you haven’t already, you can schedule your cat for all their routine vaccinations and other preventative care at Valencia Veterinary Center.
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