What is your opinion on vaccinations?

[duckdodgers]

Alafair, my 13 year old strictly indoor girl, doesn't get vaccines anymore. She's never outside so we decided along with our vet that there is no point in her getting them anymore

Jason is our 7 month old outdoor boy. He got all of his kitten shots, and I think I will keep him up with his regular vaccinations. Since he lives outside, I think the risk of leaving him unvaccinated is greater than the risks associated with the vaccinations.

The babies will get their shots when they get to their new home, which hopefully won't be too long from now. After that it's up to their owners

 

[misty8723]

The only vaccines I give my cats is the one I'm commanded by law to give them - rabies. I do that under protest, but have no choice in the matter.

 

[fattykitty]

Originally Posted by mismaris777

I'm with you- if anyone could produce articles on this, that would be great. I always went by what my vet said, too. And now I'm questioning my vet... I feel I should know more about what goes into my pets' bodies. What if they very rarely go out with a leash and harness? I hardly do it, but it does happen sometimes.

Here are some articles:

http://www.blakkatz.com/vaccination.html
http://www.homeovet.net/content/lifestyle/section2.html
http://www.rawfedcats.org/vaccinosis.htm
http://www.chetday.com/vaccinosis.htm


They really are scary in my opinion.

 

[littleraven7726]

We follow the new protocols, it took some doing to find a vet who follows them when we moved back to Wisconsin. They do get the rabies vax every year, only because the Merial Purvax (non-adjuvanted) is only available in 1-yr. They are still working on approval for 3-yr according to my vet. For distemper, it's every 3 years.

I lost a cat to Fibrosarcoma, and I'm really hoping his brother (who is getting a removal surgery today) doesn't have it too. The vet I went to for years, before I knew better, and then even after protocols changed-- vaccinated my indoor-only cats for EVERYTHING annually (and used the adjuvanted rabies shot). Even FeLV.

It wasn't until we moved to Iowa that I found that no, they shouldn't be vaccinated for all that every single year.

 

[catkiki]

It's funny that you would have this poll since I just got a postcard in the mail telling me it was time for the girls' booster shots. They got their first and only shots when they were spayed a year ago. I was thinking about taking them in only because I want them to have a checkup too. I am concerned about Dusty since she barely eats anything. She will eat dry, a couple of mouthfuls of wet and only one type of treat. She is very picky!

She is a very tiny cat for 1 1/2 yrs. LOL She may be tiny but she sure has a lot of energy though!

 

[footersownsme]

this is a tough one on me, I work as a vet tech so I see what happens when people don't vaccinate. Working for 4 yrs in this field and having an oncologist in the office, i have yet to see a fibrosarcoma. I keep everybody vaccinated because I'm afraid of what I may bring home (dog is included in this). I also foster bottle babies and adults, I keep them separate but you never know. I do the normal 3 sets of distemper kitten shots, 1 rabies shot at 16 weeks, and then re booster distemper and rabies a year later. I then follow the 3 yr policy. Not a single cat I have ever owned has had a reaction to vaccines but I guess I'm just lucky (knock on wood).

 

[kara_leigh]

My cats get the initial kitten shots when they are spayed/neutered, but no boosters and the 3 year rabies b/c it is required to get them licensed in our city.

Otherwise they don't get any other vaccines.

They are completely indoor only and besides Gus (who would just go out and roll around on the concrete patio and never go further than that) have never stepped foot outside.

 

[cats4sky]

my cats get their 1st round of vaccines and thats it. They are strictly indoors.