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Question about vaccinations

post #1 of 19
1/3/11 at 4:40pm
Thread Starter 
hello everyone:

I have a question about vaccines. If you adopt a kitty that is about 8 months old, you check her and she is in great health and negative to heartworm, FIV and FeLV and you decide to have her indoors only, would you have her vaccinated???

I know how important vaccines are, I'm just scared because Lucas got Lupus after he got his vaccines, maybe it was a coincidence, but I've never gotten over that and everybody in my family keeps telling me not to vaccinate Nena. They are all afraid of her getting sick. But I really want to, all my other cats are vaccinated and no one has gotten sick after the vaccines.

What would you do?

I know I have to do it, but I wanted to read some opinions.


Thank you all

Tamar
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post #2 of 19
1/3/11 at 4:47pm
I would have her vaccinated once, yes. Not for FeLV, but the panleuk combo and rabies, yes. I do not vaccinate yearly, though. . .I believe that vaccines given after 6 months of age confer lifetime immunity. I don't know your local rabies laws, and of course I would never advise anyone to go against their local ordinances.

The chances of a vaccine causing a strong immune reaction like Lupus are very low. There's more of a risk of her getting panleuk if unvaccinated.
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post #3 of 19
1/3/11 at 4:52pm
Thread Starter 
Thank you so much for your help I'm just scared of her getting sick, but I have to get over it and do it. My family loves nena and they are driving me crazy about this.
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post #4 of 19
1/3/11 at 4:52pm
Yes. I'd have one set of shots (kitten series and rabies). In successive years, I'd discuss it with your vet.
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post #5 of 19
1/3/11 at 7:02pm
I'm just curious...sorry to butt in...why give just one and then not again? Why give the first at all? Nora got her first shots but none since, and the boys have had all but rabies. I'm trying to decide if I should get them the rabies at all.
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post #6 of 19
1/3/11 at 7:06pm
My vet told me when we first got Tumbles that because we didn't know where he'd been, she'd recommend the first rabies shot and then probably not give another unless we move, have a rabies outbreak, or some other situation arises.
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post #7 of 19
1/3/11 at 7:08pm
Vaccinating is important to prevent diseases. Vaccinating multiple times is advisable for kittens, whose maternal antibodies may interfere with them developing the proper immunity. But after 6 months maternal antibodies are gone, so only one vaccine is needed.

From my research into immunology and other info, I feel that vaccines given after 6 months confer longlasting (probably lifetime) immunity. I do not recommend that anybody take my word for it--but researching for yourself is always a good idea.
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post #8 of 19
1/3/11 at 7:18pm
Also, if your cat has any type of chronic ailment or condition, you don't want to vaccinate because only fully healthy kitties should be vaccinated. Hannah, my feline herpes girl, cannot EVER have the FCVRP shot or she'll have a massive upper respiratory infection that might kill her. The last time she had a rabies shot, she got the 3-year variety. Callie, my CRF kitty, didn't get shots because of the need for the stuff to be filtered out of her body. With already compromised kidneys, I didn't want to stress them more.
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post #9 of 19
1/3/11 at 7:22pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by stephanietx View Post
Hannah, my feline herpes girl, cannot EVER have the FCVRP shot or she'll have a massive upper respiratory infection that might kill her.
Interesting. . .since most cats do have herpesvirus, and most of them are vaccinated without incident. . .or does Hannah have a different variety of FHV?
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post #10 of 19
1/3/11 at 7:37pm
No, she has the "regular" FHV, but she's been sooo sick with URIs in the past (we almost lost her when we first adopted her) and she also has a known pseudomonas infection that's under control, we don't dare get her vaccinated. Our current vet said that if we ever needed to vaccinate her, she'd order the vaccines separately so that Hannah wouldn't get the R part (rhino....whatever).
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post #11 of 19
1/3/11 at 8:20pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Willowy View Post
Vaccinating is important to prevent diseases.
Are there any diseases that a cat can just "get" without catching it from another animal, that a vaccine can prevent?
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post #12 of 19
1/3/11 at 8:32pm
To the OP, forgive me if I am wrong, but don't you have a kitty at home who is FeLV positive?
This kitty is separated from all the others, correct?
I think in this case I would be having a conversation with the vet and asking what the risks are of transmission, even with the cat living in separate rooms - with you handling the cats back and forth, moving from room to room, and so on. It might not be a bad idea to vaccinate her once. Again, in your specific situation, IMHO, this is a conversation I would have with the vet...
As far as the other vaccines, I will vaccinate all of my kitties for everything until they are 4. I have spoken to a couple of their vets, and they agreed that was the safest age to stop giving vaccines having the immune-system fully developed against those diseases. For rabies, I will have a titter test done on them when they are 5, and if they have enough antibodies submit that to the city to stop giving rabies vaccines (mandatory by Law in my City).
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post #13 of 19
1/3/11 at 8:46pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Willowy View Post
I would have her vaccinated once, yes. Not for FeLV, but the panleuk combo
That's what I would do also. I only do the 3 in 1 and will never get anything higher. Not the 4 in 1 or 5 in 1, there are far too many issues with them and many vets here don't even keep them in stock.
No rabies here so I can't comment on that.
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post #14 of 19
1/3/11 at 10:10pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by kara_leigh View Post
Are there any diseases that a cat can just "get" without catching it from another animal, that a vaccine can prevent?
Of course not, all viruses are transmitted by someone who already has that virus. But some of them are airborne viruses, and do not require physical contact for transmission. And some you can track in on your shoes. So if there was a sick cat outside your house, theoretically your cats could get sick if not vaccinated.
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post #15 of 19
1/4/11 at 12:27am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Willowy View Post
.I believe that vaccines given after 6 months of age confer lifetime immunity
So, essentially, since the boys are almost 8 months old, if I get their rabies shot now they will have immunity? Nora got hers after 6 months also, could there be a chance she is immune also? She got all of her shots when she was 7 months old. I haven't had her vaccinated since but she is strictly indoors and up until now has not been around any other animals.
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post #16 of 19
1/4/11 at 5:47am
Absolutely Tamar get Nena vaccinated. Cats get out. Germs get tracked in. I understand your fears. But..in my opinion not vaccinating is not taking proper care of your cats. And I know you are responsible with your cats, I'm not saying you aren't. But Nena needs her vaccinations. And rabies vaccinations are the law in almost every place in the USA.

And, for people who don't vaccinate against rabies, here in the USA at least, you are taking a huge risk.

Cats get out. Just read any pet board and you will see how often indoor cats get out.

If your cat has an emergency and you have to take her to a strange clinic the first thing they want to know is if your cat is up to date on rabies vac. If she's not, they may refuse to see her.

If your cat should bite someone and is not up to date on rabies you risk losing that cat. Some quarantine, at a clinic or shelter, at your expense, for two or more weeks. Some require that the cat be destroyed immediately, it depends on local laws.
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post #17 of 19
1/4/11 at 5:37pm
Thread Starter 
Thank you everyone for your input I've learned a lot.


About our Vaccinations laws in Puerto Rico, there are none, I vaccinated all my kitties for rabies and other diseases, but there is not a law that makes me do it, sad isn't it? I hope things changes soon here in PR.

I will take Nena to get her vaccines on Monday. I called and made an appointment for that.

Yes, i have one kitty who tested positive for FeLV,that's Baddy, but he is in a room that has no access to the other cats, so I asked the vet if Lucas and Nena (both negative) will need to get vaccinated for FeLV, and the vet told me no, if they are not going to be in contact with Baddy, I don't need to vaccnate them for FeLV. he also told me is not a good idea to give Lucas that vaccine because Lucas has Lupus and it will be risky.

I also decided that I couldn't take Baddy away from his mother Flaqui, they have always been together, and they sleep together, they cuddle , they eat together, so I decided they should stay together, they love each other too much. I know you all must think that is not good, and that is an irresponsible thing to do, but I think if he is positive, she must be positive too, because they are very close. Baddy also hates been alone and he cries. SInce I can't have him with Lucas and Nena, I can't take him away from his Mommy.

Tamar
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post #18 of 19
1/4/11 at 5:50pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Momto4kitties View Post
Thank you everyone for your input I've learned a lot.


About our Vaccinations laws in Puerto Rico, there are none, I vaccinated all my kitties for rabies and other diseases, but there is not a law that makes me do it, sad isn't it? I hope things changes soon here in PR.

I will take Nena to get her vaccines on Monday. I called and made an appointment for that.

Yes, i have one kitty who tested positive for FeLV,that's Baddy, but he is in a room that has no access to the other cats, so I asked the vet if Lucas and Nena (both negative) will need to get vaccinated for FeLV, and the vet told me no, if they are not going to be in contact with Baddy, I don't need to vaccnate them for FeLV. he also told me is not a good idea to give Lucas that vaccine because Lucas has Lupus and it will be risky.

I also decided that I couldn't take Baddy away from his mother Flaqui, they have always been together, and they sleep together, they cuddle , they eat together, so I decided they should stay together, they love each other too much. I know you all must think that is not good, and that is an irresponsible thing to do, but I think if he is positive, she must be positive too, because they are very close. Baddy also hates been alone and he cries. SInce I can't have him with Lucas and Nena, I can't take him away from his Mommy.

Tamar
Why would anyone think that is irresponsible? Baddy needs company, I think it's wonderful that he has his mama to live with. Cats do not like to be alone (contrary to common fallacy)

It's all good, Tamara.
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post #19 of 19
1/4/11 at 5:55pm
Thread Starter 
Thank you so much That makes me feel good
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