Vaccinations

Word's finally getting out about over vaccinating. Our news did a brief segment stating that annual boosters may not be necessary and in some cases may do harm. I hope it will get peoples attention.
Some states already lengthened the time between rabies shots. I think it's 3 years here.

I need to do some net surfing on this. I allways wondered why cats need all those yearly bosters for there vaccinations but people dont. (tetanus is every 7-10 yrs for people) Whats up with that? Cats immune systems cant be all that different.

When I was at the vet this past Saturday, I was talking to her about problems with the boosters and immunizations. In PA the rabies shot is state law so I don't have a choice, but the booster lasts for three years. I did inquire about the FVRCP (or some such lettering) and she said that really if the cat is an indoor cat you can go every other year for that shot, but they are afraid to tell pet owners that for fear they won't bring their cat in for their yearly check-ups. I personally think this is insane, over vaccinating for no good reason.

Honestly I don't know where I stand on the shot issue. It is scary to think by giving them the shots I could hurt them, but at the same time they could get something that will hurt them by not getting the shot. Catch-22.

In the end I just don't know what to do, this was their first adult vet visit, so I got the shots, but in two years I don't know if I will. I just don't know.

I have tried really hard searching for info and talking with many manufacturers of vaccines.
They have published so many different things it's hard to keep track of what's the best. Some have started making seperate vaccines instead of the 3 or 4 ways to better track them. However, then you increase the chance of sarcomas.
It really can be a catch 22. I think you also have to take into consideration the risk the cat is at.
The way I have decided to do this with my cats is, We vaccinate with all 3 of the kitten boosters. We don't vaccinate for Leukemia because all of them are indoor and the risk is VERY low. Then we vaccinate them annually for the first 2 years. We then go with every 3 years along with the rabies vaccine. With the 5 boosters in the 3 years, I feel the immunity level is good. They still go for an annual check up, but the boosters I pass on until it's time for the rabies.

A vet friend of mine says she personally would vaccinate an indoor cat annually, for the first two years of life, then every 3 years after that. But, because the vaccine manufacturers still recommend vaccination annually, that is what she tells her clients. She said if she told somebody to vaccinate every 2 years, and after 1.5 years, the cat got sick, and the owner complained...she could lose her vet license. So, off the record, she is all for every 3 years, but she won't officially say that. I can't say I blame her.

My own vet told me to vaccinate the cats for FeLV for the first two years of life, then not to worry.

I still think it's important to have your cat checked over by a vet every year though.

There's some vaccine related links here...



Julia.

Vaccine Info.

My vet vaccinates kittens with their initial series of shots (panleukopenia, rhinotracheitis, calicivirus) and then every other year thereafter. My cats used to get the Feline Leukemia vaccination but we (the vet and I) decided to discontinue that particular vaccine because my kitties never set a paw outside. They'd probably have a greater risk of Fibrosarcoma from the vaccine than getting the disease. I can understand that vets would be concerned that some people won't bring their cats in every year if they aren't due to be vaccinated.