Due for Rabies Vaccines

Mario is due in a few months for her e year rabies vaccine.  I do not want to get it and she is an indoor cat.  I live on the 4th floor of a highrise apartment building so there is absolutely no way she will get outside, unless somehow on her way to the vet she escapes.  My vet does the 3 year vaccine, and for the past few years I've avoided it by missing the due date....and whenever the next time I've had to take her for a check up or something else, they give her a rabies injection that lasts 6 months (or a year, can't remember) and then they tell me she'll be due next time for her 3 year vaccine.

I've heard so many horror stories about kitty cancer and allergic reactions to vaccines.  I know she does not need to get them, but MA state law says she does.  I'm afraid if she gets sick and needs to stay at the vet they won't board her because she hasn't had her vaccines.

Has anyone ever had anything bad happen as a result of the 3 year vaccine??  How dangerous is it??

The "one-year" vaccine they're giving her is EXACTLY the same as the 3-year vaccine. The only reason it's not good for 3 years is because you missed the deadline and state law requires that you get it before then in order for it to be approved for 3 years. So she's been getting the 3-year vaccine all along, and too often. I'd recommend getting it every 3 years on schedule instead of whenever she goes in for a checkup.

I was told by my vet that the one year vaccine is PureVax and it's a clean version of the one year vaccine. It's the least likely to produce any sarcomas or cancerous tumors at the injection site. I'd go for the one year. My vet won't use the 3 year for this reason.

finnlacey said:

I was told by my vet that the one year vaccine is PureVax and it's a clean version of the one year vaccine. It's the least likely to produce any sarcomas or cancerous tumors at the injection site. I'd go for the one year. My vet won't use the 3 year for this reason.

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So would you go for the one year and just not take him for a rabies until 3 years is up? 

I am in the same dilemma.

finnlacey said:

I was told by my vet that the one year vaccine is PureVax and it's a clean version of the one year vaccine. It's the least likely to produce any sarcomas or cancerous tumors at the injection site. I'd go for the one year. My vet won't use the 3 year for this reason.

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When they're using it the way described by the OP, it's usually not Purevax.

But, yes, if you don't want her to get the 3-year vaccine (no matter how often it's given), ask your vet to special-order Purevax, or find another vet that uses it. It will need to be given yearly to be legal, but it's supposedly safer.

No no, the one year is only good for one year. But it's the PURE vaccination, no chemicals and preservatives and junk added to it. They add something to it to make it extend the shelf life for 3 years. But that's what's been part of the cause of some of the sarcomas. So they went back to a one year pure version.

The risk to your cat from the rabies shot is minimal. Injection site sarcomas are usually related to the FVRCP vaccine, not so much the rabies vaccine, according to what I've been taught. The risk that your cat would ever get rabies is really small too but I would still get the shot because there are other risks related to the fact that the shot is required by law. If for some reason your cat would bite you or someone else, which any cat can and will do in a stressful situation, and the bite requires medical care which it often does your cat will be taken from you and put in a shelter or the vet for ten days at your expense. Not only could that add up to hundreds of dollars but it would be extremely stressful for your cat to sit in a little cage for ten days, especially if he has to sit at the shelter which is required in some counties. I'm sure it would be stressful for you too. This could happen at any time but if your cat is current on her rabies shot at the time your cat can be quarantined at home and just have a vet sign off on it after ten days. It's if you can't prove that she is current on her rabies shot that you will have a problem. If you go to the doctor with an animal bite the doctor has to notify animal control by law and they will show up at your door ready to take your cat if you don't have a rabies certificate.

I used to volunteer at a city pound and I saw several crying owners standing there when their pets where being taken away for ten days. If you can't pay the fees after those ten days the animal is put down. It's very sad and very unnecessary. So I highly recommend that you get the rabies shot every three years. If you get it in time you don't have to get it yearly.

Oh my that's so sad!!   I know ultimately I will have her get it this time but I can't help feeling sick to my stomach when I imagine she might get sick!!  She's also due for her FVRCP vaccine too!!   But doesn't that prevent the herpes virus or something?

You don't have to get her the FVRCP vaccine if you don't want to--it's not required by law. If she's already had at least a couple of those shots in her life, she's probably immune to everything it protects against anyway. And it doesn't always protect against herpes. . .there are a zillion different strains of it, and the vaccine only protects against a few. The rabies vaccine is more important, because of the legalities.

If you do decide to get both vaccines, I'd recommend not doing them on the same visit. At least 2 weeks apart is best.

I just took the new feral kitten we got in for vaccines. We have changed vets recently as our dog goes to Physical Therapy there and it was much easier. This particular hospital also has a cat specialist. When we brought the baby in for his rabies they told me they will not do 3 year vaccines there due to the cancer risk from the preservative in the 3 year vaccine. I had not heard this before. So now all my cats when they come due will go only on the 1 year vaccine. They assured me that there is really no risk from the 1 year as it is not the same vaccine as the 3 year.

I don't think there's such a thing as NO RISK but I've also been told that's the safest and best option. It has the least risk of developing cancer. I wish there was NO risk to all of this stuff!

My cat Church had a small pea-sized lump at the rabies injection site. My vet gave him Benadryl for vaccine reaction and it slowly went away.

I personally think that once a cat has had its first year of shots after the kitten boosters that they will have immunity for quit some time. I would rather do titer testing with my animals than to over vaccinate. Now of coure the rabies vaccination is law, but I wouldn't get it done if I didn't have to. I am going to be following Dr. Jean Dodds vaccination protocol for my pets from here on out.

http://www.itsfortheanimals.com/DODDS-CHG-VACC-PROTOCOLS.HTM

Hobo08 said:

I personally think that once a cat has had its first year of shots after the kitten boosters that they will have immunity for quit some time. I would rather do titer testing with my animals than to over vaccinate. Now of coure the rabies vaccination is law, but I wouldn't get it done if I didn't have to. I am going to be following Dr. Jean Dodds vaccination protocol for my pets from here on out.

http://www.itsfortheanimals.com/DODDS-CHG-VACC-PROTOCOLS.HTM

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I've been doing titers testing on my pets since both my recently passed cat, and my dog had severe reactions.

The cat and dog had waivers from the vet for the Rabies vax, and titers showed immunity in the dog and cat well after vax were no longer given.

My two oldest now are 4 and 5 years, both stopped getting vax after their 1yr boosters, titers show immunity.

I will revaccinate if titers come back negative.

Arlyn said:

I've been doing titers testing on my pets since both my recently passed cat, and my dog had severe reactions.

The cat and dog had waivers from the vet for the Rabies vax, and titers showed immunity in the dog and cat well after vax were no longer given.

My two oldest now are 4 and 5 years, both stopped getting vax after their 1yr boosters, titers show immunity.

I will revaccinate if titers come back negative.

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Exactly what I was looking for LOL someone who actaully does this. See how over vaccinated your cats could have been if they had the shots every year. So sad My Border Collie who is 8 years old has had shots every year since I adopted her at 10 months. I didn't know any better and thought I was doing right by my baby. Not anymore I bet she has immunity up the ying yang.

I'm really glad to see some people using titer testing! That's great!!!! Here's a link on how to deal with a vet that insists on over-vaccinating: http://www.petmd.com/blogs/fullyvetted/2011/june/vets_and_yearly_vacc_protocols#.T07FEfWV3IU

finnlacey said:

I'm really glad to see some people using titer testing! That's great!!!! Here's a link on how to deal with a vet that insists on over-vaccinating: http://www.petmd.com/blogs/fullyvetted/2011/june/vets_and_yearly_vacc_protocols#.T07FEfWV3IU

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Thanks I will be sure to print those off this weekend! Two of my kids are do here in March.
 

Here is an interesting website, this organization is working to show that rabies vaccinations can "last" a lot longer than people think (at least 5-7 years!) in hopes that the current laws and reccomendations can be changed:

http://www.rabieschallengefund.org/

Also please note that a titer test does not actually measure immunity, it just measures the extent of antibodies present at the time of the testing to that disease. A low titer result does not necessarily mean that an animal doesn't have protection and needs a vaccination, it just means there aren't a lot of antibodies currently circulating.

Titer testing is useful if you don't know if your cat has had vaccination in the past, and it can also be useful if your vet, boarding facility, or state will accept a titer test in place of vaccination.

If your state or location requires vaccinations and your cat has been previously vaccinated but you do not want to continue vaccinating for health reasons, I'd suggest checking if they will accept titer testing and/or a rabies vaccine waiver from your vet.

Here's one more: http://www.catinfo.org/?link=vaccines