Kitty still lethargic after vaccinations

[jahzara]

My kitty got two shots on Friday afternoon, FVRCP & Rabies, 3yr ones. He is still very sleepy, his fur is oily and scraggly cause he isnt cleaning himself and he doesnt want to play. I have tried encouraging him at his crinkle tunnel, but the most he wants to do is rub on it and up against my leg.
He is, thankfully eating & drinking! So thats a good sign. Just wondering if I should be concerned that his lethargy is going into 48hours now. My paperwork said 24 but they arent open on Sundays and dont think they will be open tomorrow either.

 

[LTS3]

It's normal for a cat to be lethargic for a day, maybe a little longer, after getting both rabies an FVRCP vaccinations As long as your cat is eating and drinking and using the litter box, don't worry. One of my cats had both vaccinations yesterday morning and she wasn't conked out until after dinner. She's doing just fine today.

 

[white shadow]

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Hi jahzara.

Sorry to hear about this. Hopefully another day will see him fully rebound.

Meantime, if your Vet is still in the mindset of 'keeping shots up-to-date', a read of this might help you: Vaccines for Cats.

Now, depending where you're located, there may be a legislated requirement for periodic Rabies vacs (and, even those are slowly adjusting) but, the current thinking is to ensure immunity with the fewest being the better. And, it goes without saying that any adjuvanted vaccine is to be avoided like the plague! (as is any scruff injection)
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[stephanietx]

I would make sure you note this reaction with your vet and look at alternative approaches to shots or ceasing the shots in the future. None of my kitties get annual vaccines, except my outdoor kitty and he gets the 3 year rabies shot. The vet can do a titer to see if vaccines are needed.

 

[fionasmom]

I have had cats with reactions to vaccines and it sounds to me as if that is what is going on and that your baby will come out of it. My cat vet will not give more than 2 vaccines at once; having said that, my indoor kitties are not given vaccines at all as I did have one with a big reaction to the FeLV years ago.

I am absolutely not an anti vaxxer but my dog, who is immunocompromised and on my property at all times, only gets rabies now after I lost that battle with LA county.

Definitely find out where your vet is coming from on giving vaccines on a regular basis.

 

[jahzara]

Thanks for the responses and information, everyone!

I went out yesterday, shortly after posting this, and when I came back home about 5 hours later, I found he had cleaned himself and was interested in his crinkle tunnel again! He was back to his old self after about 48 hours.

Will give the vaccines for cats page a read over as well.

I have felt that vaccines were not as necessary to be done so frequently as they say. I had let this guys 3yr rabies expire a year ago, so its been 4yrs. We had a mouse* in our house recently though, so suddenly I was concerned for my indoor kitties getting rabies. That is what ultimately made me do it.

I figured I would get his FVRCp out the way as well. He has never had a reaction to them previously, but he has never had them together like this. So I guess two at once is a no go for him.

*Now I look it up though, apparently mice have a low transmission of rabies. So I guess I dont have to worry about mice giving rabies to our kitty.

 

[fionasmom]

In most places mice are not the major vector of rabies. Around here right now it is bats, especially those who end up in backyards in the foothills, the areas that are on fire right now, and are retrieved by a pet dog. It is best if all dogs have rabies shots; my indoor cats do not, but you raise a good point.

 

[jahzara]

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Hi jahzara.

Sorry to hear about this. Hopefully another day will see him fully rebound.

Meantime, if your Vet is still in the mindset of 'keeping shots up-to-date', a read of this might help you: Vaccines for Cats.

Now, depending where you're located, there may be a legislated requirement for periodic Rabies vacs (and, even those are slowly adjusting) but, the current thinking is to ensure immunity with the fewest being the better. And, it goes without saying that any adjuvanted vaccine is to be avoided like the plague! (as is any scruff injection)
.

I finally finished reading through the page.

I am now left wondering how long after injection could the sarcoma appear. Do you know?

I do remember a naturopathic vet recommending a titer test for my last kitty, instead of just blindly vaccinating.

My boy is 5 years old and my other kitty was last vaccinated at 4 years old. Seems they will most likely be fine for the panleukopenia for the rest of their lives. I am curious about the rabies vaccine though and its DOI, as she didnt seem to mention this I dont think. I know laws effect this, and it is required in my state, but to be perfectly honest, I never registered my cats in my county when we moved, so the only time I would get in trouble I guess is if my cat got out of my house and caught by them.

I do have concern over if he bit someone and, due to not having up to date rabies, they quarantined him for 6 months. But then again, I have no clue if *they* quarantine him or if I have to quarantine him.

 

[di and bob]

Yes, THEY will quarantine him, but for weeks, not months. Rabies is almost nonexistent in tame house cats, bats are one of the biggest carriers. Distemper is a BIG worry, the only way they are fine for the rest of their lives is to have lived through it. I have two cats that did, and they still suffer from side effects. I had many ferals that died.