Rabies shot experiences.

Angel has to have her rabies shot and I was just wondering if she will do OK and not get sick from it? What has your experience been with your cat/s getting rabies shots?  Were they lethargic for a day or two or just act like nothing has happened?

She hasn't ever gotten a rabies shot as she is indoor only; but the complex I'm moving to eventually requires her to have a rabies shot. She is also extremely healthy.

I'm not new to rabies shots, my parent's dogs get them but I have never had my cat get them as indoor only. I guess I am just afraid of her having a bad reaction as my brother's dog cannot have rabies shots, he is allergic.

Rabies vaccination is required in my state.  In all my years of rescue, I have only had ONE cat that was allergic to the rabies shot.  He was an orange ticked tabby with very pink skin.  The first time, he just got itching, rather like hives, his ears got bright red and he scratched everywhere as if he had fleas.  I gave him a benadryl and that stopped it.   The second time he reacted, I waited at the vet office for about half an hour afterwards and nothing happened so I took him home.  By the time I got home (another half hour) he suddenly started vomiting and had diarrhea.  I rushed him back to the vet and they gave him fluids and steroids and he came around just fine, but they noted his chart ALLERGIC - NO RABIES SHOTS (this was back when animals had written charts and not these new electronic versions.) 

That is only ONE episode of allergy in the hundreds of cats I have had vaccinated for rabies since being involved in rescue all my life.   The only other problem I have ever encountered was temporary lameness and pain in the leg where the vaccine was injected, and there were probably no more than five of those over the last 20 years.

If you want the safest rabies vaccine, you should ask your vet for the rabies vaccine WITHOUT adjuvant.   It is a little more expensive, and some vets don't even carry it, but most of the Cat Only hospitals do, and I would think any AAHA Hospital would carry it also.  (cick this link to find an AAHA hospital near you -- these are accredited hospitals and often have a Feline Specialist on staff.) 

https://www.aaha.org/pet_owner/about_aaha/hospital_search/default.aspx

 

Adjuvants are substances that are added to vaccines to alert the immune system that an antigen is present. They increase the immune response. Unfortunately, these adjuvants can also cause aggressive tumors at the injection site. Do not assume that your vet is using non-adjuvanted vaccines – ask before you allow any vaccine to be given to your cat.

In the meantime, the only thing cat guardians can do while still complying with local laws is to minimize the risk that comes with each rabies vaccine by making sure that their veterinarian only uses the non-adjuvanted Purevax vaccine manufactured by Merial.

Always demand that your vet use a non-adjuvanted vaccine.

Thank you, your post was very helpful!

One of my kitties had a bad reaction and it was obvious very soon.  He began vomiting less than an hour after the shot.  He vomited several times and then had dry heaves.  The vet had me bring him back.  By the time I got him to the vet he had a fever and was red around his eyes and his nose was red.  She gave him a steroid, fluids and kept him till his fever came down which only took a couple of hours.  After that he would get a shot of benadryl before vaccinations and didn't have another reaction.  He doesn't get vaccinated anymore because of another health issue.

My other kitty still gets vaccinated and has never had a reaction.  The vaccine that you want goes by the brand name Purevax and they also make the core vaccines.  

My cats are indoors only and get yearly rabies vaccinations. None have ever had a reaction to the vaccine. The vet uses the Merial PureVax 1 year vaccination and gives it in a hind leg. There is now a PureVax 3 year vaccination. The Merial PureVax is the recommened one to get as it doesn't contain an adjuvant, the substance that can cause vaccine associated sarcomas.

US state law may require rabies vaccinations for all pet cats and dogs. Check this list: https://www.avma.org/Advocacy/StateAndLocal/Documents/Rabies state law chart.pdf Some people refuse to have their cats rabies vaccinated even if it's state law. Personally I would vaccinate the cat than risk a possible lawsuit from someone who may  have been scratched / attacked by the cat and it turns out the cat was never rabies vaccinated. People will file lawsuits for anything these days Talk with the vet if you have concerns about not vaccinating your cat.

Yes, some apartment complexes and other similar housing may require proof of rabies vaccinations. It's more common with dogs than with cats. If a cat can't have the vaccination because of an allergy, I guess a writen statement from the vet will suffice.

It is not recommended to use the 3-year vaccine as the FIRST rabies vaccine.  My vets will ony do a 3-year on a cat that had the one-year previously -- although you would not have to wait a year to get the three-year vaccine if you hd a reason.  They say there is more antigen in the 3-year version, and it is only about a year old, so they are being cautious.  Ill give it another year before trying the 3-yera vaccine.

Oh she's definitely going to get vaccinated for rabies as it's required for the apartment complex for both dogs and cats. I'm going to get her a one year vaccine any way for the first time, not to worry!

That is how the vet does it for our family dogs any way. The first rabies vaccine is for one year only and then the 2nd one is 3 year.

Thanks for your input everyone, it's very much appreciated!