Shots given to pregnant cat

I very recently was finally able to take in a stray I'd been feeding for a few months. It was clear she was pregnant.  I managed to get her in a carrier that very day and took her to the vet for a check-up. I wanted to make sure she did not have FIV or FeLV or worms as I have another cat in the home.  The vet kept her a couple of days to make sure things were okay. She did have worms but not the other things.  However, knowing she was pregnant, he went ahead and gave her the full series of vaccinations and sedated her without authorizing this with me and I had even said I knew she couldn't have the shots.  Everything I've read has mentioned that pregnant cats should not be vaccinated. When I questioned the nurse, as he was not in when I called, she said he felt the cat was far enough along in her pregnancy that it would not hurt the kittens. My question is, "Has anyone here any experience with pregnant cats and their vaccinations?" If so, what was the outcome?   I haven't had a pregnant cat before and I'm concerned. Thank you for any responses.

I don't, but I wanted to say I find it VERY odd that he would do this without discussing it with you/without your permission and I would find a different vet. I would also demand to speak to him, not just the nurse, about why he did it and why (regardless of whether you'd have agreed to it once talking to him) you feel that him doing it without talking to you was not appropriate.

How far along is she?

Thank you for replying, tulosai. I find it very odd, too, and needless to say, I'm not happy about it and will be changing vets. He felt she was in the last week of her second trimester, but I think she is a week or so earlier since I saw her mating the end of February. He felt the development had been completed and they were just growing. I WILL be contacting him to talk about an issue I've seen on her stomach. He'd shaved her and I now see some black places on her stomach that I didn't notice. However, I did not see her stomach before she was shaved but I think I would have seen this on Thursday when she was rolling around. I am terrified the kittens have died due to the shots, sedation and worming he did (all without consulting me) and the stress of being housebound and the stress of being in a house with a male (neutered) cat .

Just an update for those following this topic:  I contacted another vet in the area for a second opinion and told his nurse the entire situation, offering t either make an appointment and bring Henryetta in if I could get her in the carrier or I could make an appointment and just come out to talk with him. She immediately talked to the doctor who has said that given when I thought she conceived it was okay to give her the shots but that he probably would not have sedated her to do all of this. He said that the kittens should be fine since she has not had any sort of contractions and it has been nearly a week since the shots. The nurse said there is always a risk of a still birth with all cats. They were so nice and helpful and told me to call them with any questions or concerns during this time. I offered to pay for him answering the questions but she said not to. I will most certainly be going to this vet from now on. This has made me feel a little better about things. Now, where to keep her until the birth and how to handle kittens.

Thank you so much for giving us all that update, I just hate it when I'm left wondering how things turn out. PLEASE update us again when she has her kittens. Darn, now I'm going to worry about that!

Di and Bob said:

 
Thank you so much for giving us all that update, I just hate it when I'm left wondering how things turn out. PLEASE update us again when she has her kittens. Darn, now I'm going to worry about that!

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Thank you so much for caring, Di and Bob. I have needed people who really understand and care. I'm so glad I found this site.  I will update again in this topic.  Since she is a feral/stray, I also have a topic there.

Henryetta is still pregnant, so I take it as a good sign. I haven't seen or felt the kittens move though. She's bigger but can't tell if it is from the kittens or from her enormous appetite, but maybe it is both. Her sides and belly feel harder.  My best guess is that she has another two weeks. Just hoping and praying the kittens (and Henryetta) will be okay. She moves to her new home in my storage room tomorrow.  It's big and will be more private than the laundry room, plus my resident male cat (neutered) will not be able to get in the room with her by accident. They have a tenuous relationship as it is but for a stray/feral and a pampered housecat, they do okay on their chance encounters.

Henryetta is still pregnant but I'm not sure how the kittens are and if she is just getting bigger from eating a lot or it's the kittens.  I feel bumps under the skin but I don't see or feel a lot of actual movement. Is this a bad sign?  By my count, from actually seeing her mate in my yard, she is 57-58 days pregnant. I think it will be a miracle if these kittens are born alive and without problems.

Oh just caught up with this thread, appalling treatment by the vet.  My Lola is due around the same time, we think she mated last week of February...I really really hope all our kitties are OK, will be thinking of you 

LolaSky said:

 
Oh just caught up with this thread, appalling treatment by the vet.  My Lola is due around the same time, we think she mated last week of February...I really really hope all our kitties are OK, will be thinking of you 

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Thank you! 

Yes, the excitement about the kittens has been tempered  with my worry about their condition and what to do if something is terribly wrong. There's a vet down the street from me I've heard good things about so I have her number handy.

I hope our kitties will be okay, too. Henryetta was a stray so I don't know if this is her first litter.  It's been hard to see any kitten movement because she is a Torbie, but the last couple of days I seen some movement - twitches, rolls, etc. She's been exceptionally friendly and loving since early February, but in the past couple of  days she's been a little swatty and nippy, (not to hurt me) and doesn't want me to touch her back or sides now, so I imagine she is somewhat uncomfortable. She's still active in the sense of wanting to play a little, though,  and this morning I saw her up in the  storage room window, which meant she had to jump on the sofa and then up on the window ledge. She's still eating a lot. I give her dry kitten food and wet adult food. It seems that the wet kitten food is a pate-style and she doesn't really like that.  My resident cat doesn't like  pate-style either.  I've fixed her 4 places in the storage room - two boxes  with a pillow and towels and blanket and rug under a chair and under a piano bench in the back. 

No kittens yet. It's 61-63 days.  I can see them moving around. Yesterday while she was lying on her side, I could see her back legs rhythmically "twitching" a little and wondered if this was a contraction but no kittens this morning. Her stomach is hanging down some instead of sticking out as much so I know this is a sign that they have dropped   I'm worrying more than normal, I'm sure, but given the title of this thread I'm also sure that is understandable.

Kittens have arrived!

Congratulations. How many do you have

blueyedgirl5946 said:

Congratulations. How many do you have

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Well, I'm not sure because she had them on a fleece under a chair so it's difficult to tell since they are all about the same color (orange), wiggle around and pile up.  I haven't touched them other than to pick up one or two that have fallen off her when she goes to eat. She didn't seem to notice that yesterday. I think there are five. Henryetta is a torbie and I wish at least one of them had looked like her but the father was a light yellow cat that I think was abandoned with her.

Maybe you can get some pictures in a day or so. I know you are glad they are here. :nod:

blueyedgirl5946 said:

Maybe you can get some pictures in a day or so. I know you are glad they are here.

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Thanks. Yes, it is a relief and I am now cautiously optimistic.  I got this picture this morning:#5 seems to be hiding under the big fat kitten! Sorry, this is a bit big.

 

One of them is twice the size of the others.  I had been told by a nurse practitioner friend of mine that, due to the shots, sedation and worming, that the kittens might be a bit small. One of them didn't get that message!

Thanks for posting the picture. That is sure one proud mama. I love those yellow babies.

Such gorgeous babies and mama looks relaxed 

Congratulations. l'm so happy to hear they're big and healthy.