FVRCP Shot Question

This is a stupid question, and the reason for it, is totally, my fault.        

Why are FVRCP shots, some given 1 yr and some given 3 yrs? What is the difference?

I put all my cats medical records, all in one folder, all mixed together, not in even date order. I always relied, on the little card the vet sends you, when they are due for anything.  I never kept tract myself, just relied on them.

That mistake, caused 1 to be expired on their rabies by 2 weeks, 1 by 2 months. Totally my fault, for not keeping tract myself, and keeping each one, in a seperate folder, and in date order.

So, corrected that, put their records in seperate folders, got their rabies shots. 

I have 2 brothers, same litter, I knew, they were UTD on everything, they are on the circuit, and I knew, their rabies didn't expire, until Dec, because I carry them with me, in a seperate plastic bag, as health inspectors will spot check, at shows.  The rabies, not the kitties, lol.

So, decided, it would be a good idea, to seperate their records too, in seperate folders.

They travel everywhere together, they go to shows together, they got neutered together, they got and get, all their shots, together.

Now, looking at their records, one is due for his FVRCP shot in 2013, he got a 3 yr.  The other says, he is due, in Sept 2012, says he got a 1 yr.   

That can't be possible.  

They got their shots at the same exact time.

So, why, are some given 1 yr and some given 3 yr, and why, would each one, be given a different one?

Should they be given a 1 yr or a 3 yr?

Yes, I know, my vet would have the records, of what was given and why, and yes, I know I have to call and ask.

I also know this is totally my fault, for not keeping better tract, lol, and I would feel a whole lot better, if someone yelled at me, lol.        

There's no difference. It's up to the vet how often they tell their customers to bring the animals in for vaccines. But why the same vet would give different times for 2 cats given the same vaccine at the same time, I have NO idea :dk:.

Do you need to vaccinate them to show them?

If so, with all the current knowledge of the issues of over-vaccination, I wonder why they don't accept titre testing? :dk:

It is required, for showing, altho, they don't vet check, like they do at horse shows.  They will however spot check rabies, and ya better produce it, or you are sca-rood, lol.  Some states mandate rabies, and ya better have it, if you are showing in that state, or passing thru that state. 

Exhibitor Information:  No litter pans will be provided -- we remind exhibitors to bring their own. All Championship, Premiership and registered  Kitten entries will be scored for CFA National and Regional awards. All  claws of all entries must be clipped prior to benching. No declawed entries are permitted. Cats or kittens should be clean and free of fungus, fleas, ear mites, and any contagious or infectious illness. There will be no veterinarian inspection prior to benching. However, it is strongly advised that all entries be inoculated before entry by a licensed veterinarian against feline enteritis, feline rhinotracheitis, Calicivirus and rabies, and strongly recommended that entries be tested and found negative for FeLV before entry. The State of New York mandates current rabies inoculation for all cats, it is advisable that you bring your cat's certificate(s).  No kitten under the age of 4 months shall be permitted in the show hall. Only benched cats or kittens may be present in the show hall -- none may be confined to carriers, either displayed or under cages. 
All cats or kittens for sale or lease must be benched in the benching area, and must be eligible for CFA registration. The person offering the cat or kitten for sale must have an entry in the show and must ensure an enclosed, secured carrier is used for the transport of the cat being sold. Any sales activity is subject to the approval of the show management. Exhibitors must transport cats into and out of the show hall in an enclosed, secured carrier. No exhibitor may leave cats or kittens in the show hall overnight. First-time exhibitors should contact the show manager for assistance. 

I looked into the titer testing, its like $150, you have to have it done at a University, per say, and it only covers some things, forget now, what they are.  

Even if I wasn't showing them, I would still get them vaccinated, ya just never know, when someone might bring something in, or something might happen, etc.  

I got a show in 2 weeks, now I gotta figure out, if the one brother is covered or not. Guess I learned a very valuable lesson, don;t depend on the vet, kept tract yourself.        

Vaccines confer immunity for a very long time. Probably a cat's lifetime (when did you last get an MMR vaccine?). So if you're just worried about immunity and not legalities, then don't worry . Vaccines don't suddenly wear off after a year or 3 years. He's already immune, unless something is wrong with his immune system so that it didn't respond to the vaccine, and if that's the case he'll never be immune.

It's really interesting that the shows don't "strongly advise" a panleukopenia shot. That's the only disease I worry about, and if they had a panleuk-only vaccines I'd get that for my cats rather than the combo.

OK, I solved one mystery, and created, another, lol.  Seperated their medical records, and put them in date order. Every yr, since they were kittens, they were given a 1 yr FVRCP shot, and the reminder date, was 1 yr later.  So, the one, I was worried about, did indeed, get a 1 yr shot, every year, reminder was 1 yr later, got one last yr, and indeed is due, in Sept this year, that mystery solved. 

New mystery.  They go in together, get their shots together, since they was little tykes, they are 4 yrs old now.

The other one, no record of his shot last year. Before that, same thing, given 1 yr shot, reminder was 1 yr later.  Shows he was given a shot, the year before, 

1 yr shot, but his reminder date, is 3 yrs, so not due, until 2013.  So was he given a 3 yr shot, and thats why his reminder date is 3 yrs later, or, was he given a 1 yr shot, same as his brother, on the same date, and the girls put the wrong reminder date.  Why was his brother given a 1 yr shot and he a 3 yr shot.

Something similiar happened a few yrs ago. Got the card, took him in, not the brothers, my vet looked thru his chart, even showed me, where they put the little colored sticker in his chart, of what he was given, said he is not due, the girls put in the wrong date.

So, somebody, better figure this out, what shot he was given, and when, I ain't real happy right now, altho, it is my own fault, and it ain't gonna happen again.

So let this be a lesson, to who ever might be reading this, a lesson, I learned, the hard way. Keep the records in seperate folders and in date order, and keep tract, yourself, what shots are given and when, and when they are due again, don't depend on the vet to send the little cards.

Nope, can't recall, when I was given that last, most likely, when I was a kid, lol. But then again, following the same theory, why do we get a flu shot every year. Oh, my head hurts, mind is spinning, and can't even call the vet until Tues, lol.

What is panleukopenia?   

Do you mean the FeLV shot?  They got it, in 2 parts, when they were kittens, only because, they go to shows, my vet would prefer not to give it, and I don't really want to give it either, and they haven't gotten it, since then.  She pretty much refuses to give it to them, says they got it when they were kittens, fine with me, I don't want them to have it either.

Was on top of this stuff, when I showed horses, had to be. At the big A rated shows, your not going to even get on the grounds, without going thru the vet check, and if the vet thinks something don't look right, he/she can pull your horse off the trailer, and/or send you home.

At my first show, had health papers and registration papers in hand, went to the check in desk, and asked, where is vet check.  First show they asked?

Still floors me, they don't have a vet check, which, is why I got lazy, and started relying on the vet reminder cards, lol. My horse vet would shoot me, if he knew I sca-rood this up, lol.              

Panleukopenia is "feline distemper". Very virulent and usually fatal, and fortunately rare. But if I were going to require vaccinations for a show, I'd want panleuk shots, not calicivirus or rhinotracheitis.

Flu shots are given every year because it's a different strain every year. The shots actually make you immune to that strain for years, but since you won't see that same strain again for a long time, it's moot. But for viruses that don't mutate every year, one shot will give immunity for at least several years. Annual vaccines are a scam. The current AAHA and AVMA recommendations are every 3 years, but even that probably is too often. Any vet still doing annual vaccines is going against the AVMA.

Willowy said:

Vaccines confer immunity for a very long time. Probably a cat's lifetime (when did you last get an MMR vaccine?).

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*some* vaccines do.  Others do not - the flu jab changes quite often as the influenza virus is constantly changing.

Thanks! Thats good to know, about the AVMA and 3 yr shots.  

So, if the panleukopenia, is distemper, (sorry was thinking of feline leukemia, lol), and the FVRCP shot is know as the "distemper shot", which I know its a combo shot, wouldn't that cover distemper?  

Wouldn't they need the calci and rhino too?  Are those the ones, that can spread airborn or someone touching something, then touching your cat?

Thank you, for helping me, and teaching me this stuff, lol.  I hope this has helped others too, that might benefit, from my mistake, lol.        

Talked to my friend in VT last night, she said, either he was given a 3 yr, put the reminder as 2013 and marked it 1yr, or he was given a 1 yr and they put the wrong reminder date, and yes, the little color sticky thingy, in his chart, would tell the vet, what he actually got.  She said its not uncommon for the girls to put the wrong info in the computer, and thats why, her vet, inputs the stuff in the computer, himself.  I asked her why, one brother would be given a 1 yr and the other brother given a 3 yr, she said most likely, they were both given 1 yr, and the one, was given a wrong reminder date.  I can't yell at them, lol, it was my fault for not keeping tract, and not noticing, it said 1 yr and the reminder was 3 yrs away, lol.      

But the 1-year vaccine and the 3-year vaccine are the exact same vaccine, LOL. It only depends on what the vet marks it as. It's not a different product. The only exception is the PureVax rabies vaccine, which is only legally approved for 1-year use. But since this is the FVCRP vaccine that's not the issue.


And, yes, if the cat gets the combo vaccine they'll be protected against distemper and all the other stuff. I just thought I was weird that the show info you posted didn't specifically recommend a panleuk/distemper vaccines, but does recommend a calicivirus/rhinotracheitis vaccine :dk:.

OrientalSlave said:

*some* vaccines do.  Others do not - the flu jab changes quite often as the influenza virus is constantly changing.

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The flu vaccine also confers long-lasting immunity--against the strain in the vaccine that year. If that strain shows up again you're covered. But since the strain changes every year, the vaccine changes every year. I'm not aware of any pet vaccine that is updated every year to cover mutating viruses.

LOL, now I am confused.  

If it is the exact same vaccine, and its good for 3 yrs, then why, the heck, are they making them come back in, every year?

2 brothers, shots given on the same day, one is good for 3 yrs, one is good for 1 yr?  Somebody, ain't, gonna be happy, when I get done, LOL.         

As to why, the shows, say what they say, I have not a clue, lol, since they don't vet check anyhow, lol.  I just try and make mine, as safe as I can.