Does the FIP vaccine do anything?

Hi,
I have given my two 6 month old kittens all of the recommended vaccines that my vet suggested for cats of their age. I was then talking to my mother in law who works at a vet and is a breeder herself, and she said that I shouldn't waste my money with the FIP vaccination as she said it doesn't work. Does anybody have any further information on this?

Thanks!!!

The only thing a FIP vaccination does is give them a false positive when tested for this disease.

I hope you are planning to have the kittens as indoor only and therefore you can skip many of the vaccines outdoor cats need.

What does your MIL breed?

My kittens are indoor, however, I let them run around the back yard, supervised for a couple of hours everyday (I know this sounds crazy, but they want out and I'm unwilling to let them become full-time outdoor cats because I would worry too much, and I love them). I was told that the only vaccine I needed was FELV if they were going to be outdoors at all. I got them this vaccine, and they had the FIP too, and their deworm round. Forgive my ignorance...I'm new to being a cat mom.

My MIL breeded Himalayans in the past. She hasn't done it for several years, but she is looking to breed a cat she got about a year ago.

I would stay clear of the FIP vaccine. Most of the literature available will tell you that it's nowhere near effective enough, and in some cases it has caused FIP.
If you do let them into the backyard a few hours a day, I think it's smart to vaccinate for the leukemia, Rabies, and the RCCP. You just never know when a stray kitty may jump in to join in. Better safe than sorry

Maybe you should look into putting up a fenced pen for your kitties instead. who knows one day they really want out, and they will find a way, and there they go...

...just to be on the safe side.

I've done a lot of research on FIP lately (had a scare that turned out not to be FIP, thank God), and I agree with Sandie - the vaccine (commercially known as Primucell) isn't really that valuable, particularly for those of us who have gotten cats from shelters or catteries.

Some vets/researchers are concerned that giving the vaccine to a cat already exposed to the feline coronavirus (FCoV, the benign form of the virus) might potentially increase its risk for developing FIP. And a vast majority of cats from multiple-cat homes have already been exposed to the coronavirus (anywhere from 60 - 90% of cats will test positive for FCoV exposure. In NYC, our largest animal hospital (Animal Medical Center) won't even give the vaccine at all.

I should add that some vets do say that the risk from the vaccine is minimal. Unfortunately, from all I've read, the benefit is uncertain anyway. It only works of cats that have not been exposed at all, and even of those, it's effective only 50-70% of the time.

(However, considering the disease is invariably fatal, if you're absolutely certain that your cat hasn't been exposed, 50-70% chance of successful FIP prevention is certainly better than none.)

Since I'm not a vet, though, here's some info from folks who know a lot more than I do:

From Animal Health Channel:

An FIP vaccine was introduced in 1991. Its use remains controversial because the vaccine cannot help a cat that is already infected or that previously has been exposed to FIPV or FECV. Therefore, vaccinating a cat that already has coronavirus antibodies or that has been exposed to other infected cats is not recommended. In fact, if the theory of antibody-dependent enhancement is valid, vaccinating a previously exposed cat could actually increase its risk for developing FIP. The decision to vaccinate rests with the individual cat owner and the veterinarian.

Click to expand...

Another excellent source on FIP is the Winn Feline Health Foundation's FIP page. In an article by Dr. Susan Little, she writes:

Since FIP is a severe and fatal disease, the safety of any vaccine is a paramount consideration. Dr. Fred Scott of the Cornell Feline Health Center, concluded in a recently published paper, that the risks associated with the Primucell FIP vaccine are minimal in most situations. He notes that the vaccine has been in use for 7 years with no increase in the incidence of FIP. Troubling reports of a phenomenon called "antibody-dependent enhancement" (ADE) of infection arose from several labs, where cats vaccinated with FIP vaccines and challenged experimentally with virus developed accelerated disease instead of being protected. It is not known whether the phenomenon of ADE occurs in the real world and there is no easy way to find out. If it does occur, it is likely an uncommon event, but the possibility remains troubling.

Click to expand...

Finally, two more valuable FIP resources I must share:

- Dr. Diane Addie's particularly comprehensive FIP site, aimed at catteries but extremely valuable for anyone trying to research this terrible disease.

- The Orion Foundation is a nonprofit organization to raise funds for research and education about FIP. They also have an FIP support mailing list.

Hope this helps a bit! Good luck whatever you decide.