vaccination question ?

julieh

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How long after a kitten is vaccinated before it has enough antibodies to be exposed to the virus ?

I ask because I recently fostered a kitten who ended up having panleukopenia. The house can't possible be disinfected 100% and I don't want to risk infecting another kitten so I will only foster kittens who have already been vaccinated. Now obviously, if they vaccinate them and I take them home right then, they are certainly vulneralbe to the virus - so how long should they be quaratined in my "safe room" (bleached from top to bottom!) before they can be safely allowed in the rest of the house ?

Thanks a bunch
Julie
 

stephenq

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Normally a kitten isn't considered fully immuninzed until after its 3d FVCRP vaccination which is usually given around the 16th week (8, 12, and 16 weeks is typical) and then I would probably wait 2+ weeks after that. I would also make sure that the kittens brought into my home had all of their boosters on time. Call your local vet and ask him/her. Regardless, i'd err on the side of caution. Panleukopenia (aka Distemper) is very contagious and you could track it into the safe room if you had contact with it in another part of your house. Panleukopenia is one of the few illnesses that humans can carry on their persona and infect other cats with through casual contact. You might also want to check with your vet on disinfecting protocals for your home, and ask how low panleukopenia can remain in your home.
 
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