Vets and vaccination shots.... What is needed and what is just to earn some money?

EnzoLeya

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I would rather not spend a ton of money that I don't need to spend. I've heard of people shying away from some vaccinations because there are so many out there today and they don't want to put them in there cats or dogs bodies. What is everyone's opinions??

Do I go full blown like usual and check for everything and vaccinate everything the vet tells me?

Or are there things I can go without?

We have two cats that have recieved everything, does the new kitten need the same care.

How about the FIV test? Does that need to be done?
 

gomer

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I'm not sure how it works with cats, so this is probably going to be wrong. Anytime I've tried to get shots done on a kitten, it would give them diarrhea and I'd have a heck of time getting it cleared up (even with medication from the vet). Perhaps it's because my vet won't break up the shots, so it's the 8-in-1 or whatever all at once, which is a lot for a tiny little immune system to handle. I always wait until my cats go in at 1 year to get fixed, then they get shots and microchipped as well. I've had no problems this way, though it's probably not ideal.

I titer my dogs. Or will next year. They've all been vaccinated every year of their lives (just the 'regular' vaccines, no lepto or anything), and not this year. Next year I will titer and hopefully never have to vaccinate again.

My future puppy will have his shots broken up, on a schedule from the breeder. Since my vet doesn't break up shots, and won't order them in, I'll be taking him to a different vet when he's a puppy.

Wanted to add that I avoid any shots that's aren't absolutely necessary. A lot of time the reactions to the shots are worse than the disease they could have gotten originally. But to each his own, you have to do what you feel is right.
 

gemini_n_hobbes

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I don't know really, but like you, I always get all the shots the vets says. However, the last vaccination they weasled an extra $15 out of me for this rabbies vaccination that is 100% cancer free. Apparently the cheaper vac. gives animals a 1 in a million chance of getting cancer later in life....not sure if I believe it but I have horrible luck so I figured, better safe than sorry.
 

kitytize

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All kittens should be vaccinated for Panleukopenia, Rhinotracheitis, and Calicivirus. These should be done at 8 weeks, 12 weeks, and 16 weeks. Also ever time you bring a new cat into your home you should test for Feline Leukemia and Feline Immunodeficiency.

If your cat is allowed outdoors it is advised to vaccinate for Feline Leukemia and Rabies. Some states but not all will require Rabies. I am not sure if Iowa does.

You should also get the first annual vaccination and then after that it is now recommended every 3 years. People are now doing the titer tests to check for immunity finding out a lot of cats are vaccinated for life after the first annual. I would say after the first annual it is up to you on how feel about vaccinations.

Chlamydia is another optional one.
 

gomer

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Originally Posted by kitytize

All kittens should be vaccinated for Panleukopenia, Rhinotracheitis, and Calicivirus. These should be done at 8 weeks, 12 weeks, and 16 weeks.
Yeah, see that would be better. I need to find a new vet to take my baby animals to. I don't know why my vet (who I love!) won't break up the shots. I'll have to start looking around. Thanks!
 

karikatmom

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Well, if my BF Jeff had his way, they wouldn't be vaccinated at all. I told him this was unacceptable and we came to a compromise.

They will get their "core" vaccinations up to one year. After that, we will probably still get the rabies because it's required by law, but will probably do titers for the others. We don't want to vaccinate unless necessary.

Our vet tried to push the leukemia vaccine on us, but after we told him how we feel, he backed off.
 

fedlawyer

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I only get the FVRCP shot (3 times - 8,12, and 16 weeks) and rabies at 16 weeks. All of my cats are indoor. After that I only vaccinate every 3 years. I wasn't aware that the vet can check vaccination levels (titer), so I may see if my vet will do that. He wanted to give my two new kittens the Feline Leukemia shots but since they are entirely indoor cats, I refused.

After researching the animal control laws in Maryland, I have discovered that state law does not require yearly rabies vaccinations. The code states that animals should be vaccinated 'adequately against rabies'. Neither the state code nor the county regulations define 'vaccinated adequately against rabies'. So I will not be vaccinating for rabies yearly.
 

goldenkitty45

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I get the core ones (4 in 1) and rabies. Now you only have to vaccinate every 3 yrs so the rest is unnecessary IMO. Charlie's breeder doesn't believe in giving shots for FELV/FIP - only testing. She told me to not give them to Charlie.

IMO if your cat is indoors and doesn't roam outside to get in contact with other cats/animals then you really only need the core and rabies shots.
 
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EnzoLeya

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Thanks everyone for responding. I always seem to feel that I am getting scammed when I go to the vet. You never expect the amount they tell you in the end. One time I even went in and said I only had $100 to spend and I walked to the front desk after the check up and they told me I owed $180.... right, I'll run home and prune my money tree and hurry right back.
 

gailuvscats

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right, I'll run home and prune my money tree and hurry right back
After the initial kitten stuff and rabies shot, we get nothing, unless required before a procecure. ie: Fang had to get a new rabies shot before they would do his teeth.

Of course my cats are strickly indoors. If they were outdoors, I would do the rabies and the vaccines that are recommended every three years, or as the doc says.

My vet tells me if he thinks they are optional. If you have one that insists they be done, and your cats are indoor, then you have a con artist. and sadly, they do exist in every profession.
 

barbb

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I didn't see your earlier posts so I don't know the whole situation. Is your new kitten completely unvaccinated?

If this is the case, I do think you need to get the standard shots, barring the ones listed below (which are recommended depending on whether you intend to let your cat be indoor/outdoor etc.) and also you need to test the kitten for FELV and FIP even though you can't always tell about FIP.

The reason I think this is because I've seen lots of kittens come in from the wild or other shelters, and out of the blue they end up having some horrible disease. Even with paperwork there is no guarantee, but I can tell you, after a few close calls, it feels very reassuring knowing the kittens mixing with my beloved cats do not carry life threatening diseases.

This link does a good job of delineating the shots that are controversial or that should only be done in special circumstances:

http://cats.about.com/library/weekly/aa080200c.htm

Here is an excerpt from the above article regarding sarcomas from vaccines and the recommended areas for giving shots and why:

"In addition, because of the risk of vaccine-related sarcoma, special vaccination site guidelines have been issued for all recommended vaccines:

Rabies: In the right rear leg
FeLV: Left rear leg
Panleukopenia, feline herpesvirus I, feline calicivirus (or 3-way): Right fore region (shoulder)

The reasoning behind this, unpleasant as it may sound, is that a VAS tumor on the leg can be treated by amputation, allowing cats can survive. Cats are wonderfully adaptive, and usually adjust quite quickly to navigating on three legs.
Fears about the possibility of vaccine-induced tumors have led many cat owners, particularly breeders, to refuse the FeLV vaccine for their cats. Presently there is no USDA standard for FeLV vaccines, therefore rating the effectiveness of the vaccines is difficult. Many veterinarians estimate the effectiveness to be between 75-85%, which lends some cat owners a reason to deny the vaccine. Personally, I'd rather risk the one in 1,000 chances of vaccine-related sarcoma against the 25% risk that the FeLV vaccination would not work. FeLV is such a deadly disease, so easily transmissable, that I would not want to put my cats' lives up against a statistical roulette wheel."
 

panther pride

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This is a good forum, I was wondering If I need to make a vet appointment for Bindi, last Aug I brought him to Grand ave vets ( they changed to much $ so switched) there (acording to the vet) he got his 1st distemper on Aug 18th 2006 and then another distemper sep 9th 2006 and then another on sep 30th plus a 1 year rabies he was nuetered too on that day. I'm not sure how many distemper's they need or if it was another shot vital to kitten health he missed or was given by the woman who raised him? ( he came from a woman who had rescued a stray who had 6 kittens, was overwhelmed with animals and let the cats carry fleas ( I found fleas on him when we got him and had been living with our other cats on Toms fur.
)


What shots should I get for him if I make a vet appointment? I also want to mircochip hm.
 

panther pride

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She did treat the animals for fleas when we found out, but it was cheap stuff, I think Hartzs and she took the leftover meds the vet gave us for our own cats to save $ for her own cats and this led to another reinfestation of fleas in our house
 

momofmany

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The one vaccine that I absolutely recommend against is for FIV. Once vaccinated, if they ever have an FIV test in the future, it will turn up positive. And you will never know for sure if your cat has it.

I also skip the FIP vaccination. If a cat is genetically predisposed to develop full blown FIP, they are simply going to get it. That one (IMO) is a waste of money.

If there is any chance that your cat will be outside, or if there is any cat in your household that goes in and out, then get the FeLV vaccine.

I agree with the others on the basic vaccinations and testing the kitten for FeLV and FIV. The FIP test is worthless - don't waste your money on that one.
 

sharky

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Originally Posted by Panther pride

What Flp? What is the test also?
The test will come back POSITIVE if you have VACCINATED ... I would test a cat NEW to your home but NOT vacinate

Kittens SHOULD HAVE the FIRST COMPLETE series and ONE booster the following yr after that is debatable
 

panther pride

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Based on what I learned here, I'm going to take him in in eary Oct and mircochip/rabies vac(3 year) and feline luk vac him. I might get Leopalorn nuetered around that time also. While trying to help out a friends dog I found a great deal, you get a yellow card from Como animal control and choose one of 7 locations for a free of charge Nueter/spay! (only thing is card must be used within 30 days) I wil have to get the gas from the breeder though and see if they use it.
 
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