Reptile & Amphibian Forums

i was told that your cat only needs a distemper shot as often as they need a rabies shot, is this true? Anyone know of some good websites that i can confirm this info? Also i was told the vet can't give any shots i don't want my cats to have, the only one cats need are their rabies shot.........Is this true?
Thanks in Advance
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Lynn
Emily
Lucky
Spaz
Jem
Animals are the best compainions, they never talk back

Hi There,

This is an excellent site that explains the current feline vaccine protocol:

http://www.winnfelinehealth.org/health/vaccination-guidelines.html

Depending on the area in which you live, ant the actual vaccine used, the Rabies vaccine may be required every year or every 3 years. Where I live it isn't required for indoor cats at all. The very safest Rabies vaccine for cats is put out by Merial, under the name Purevax. It is least likely to cause the inflammation that later on may lead to cancer at the injection site.

Regards,
AshleyElla
Link

Due to sarcomas (site cancers) appearing in cats who were given the three year rabies vaccine, the FDA has suggested that cats get a rabies vaccine every year (which actually can be found as a still active titer at 18 months after the vaccine was last given). As you probably know, rabies is required even for indoor-only cats because mice, squirrels, bats, etc. can get into your home and can be carriers. (Titers have been described to me as the indicators of the active immunity in the blood.)

The feline leukemia vaccine (which is only really needed if your cat will be exposed to other cats in an outdoor environment) can last up to three years, but a lot of vets are reccommending that it also be given every year because it's less effective (only about 85% in cats on the three year plan), so more frequent vaccines for kitties who go outdoors helps boost their immunity by refreshing the titers more frequently.

The distemper vaccine (which a lot of vets are calling a "3-way" because it protects against 3 airborne viruses - and has NOTHING to do with your cat's temper) has been approved as an every three year vaccine. It seems to be the only one that maintains a full three year titer without causing sarcomas or other negitive reactions at the injection site.

There are, of course, several vets who will do the three year rabies, leukemia and distemper vaccines on alternating schedules (so that they see your cat every year, but only give one vaccine per year.)

This is information I was given by a cat only vet.

>>Due to sarcomas (site cancers) appearing in cats who were given the three year rabies vaccine, the FDA has suggested that cats get a rabies vaccine every year (which actually can be found as a still active titer at 18 months after the vaccine was last given).

Well, no. The FDA has absolutely nothing to do with animal vaccines. The USDA oversees animal vaccines. And the USDA has issued absolutely no recommendations relating to feline injection site sarcomas and rabies vaccination.

The only people "suggesting" annual rabies vaccination are the makers of Purevax, an adjuvant-free rabies vaccine for cats made by Merial, which may or may not reduce the incidence of sarcomas. I don't know, they don't know, and no one knows yet if that's true. Time will tell. And Merial is still testing Purevax for a three year label claim. To suggest that cats get a rabies vaccine annually to prevent injection site sarcomas is very dangerous advice if the vaccine is the standard rabies vaccine with adjuvants, and even if it IS Purevax, we still do not really know that will be safer. Injection site sarcomas have been caused by insulin injections, needle sticks for blood draws, and other forms of puncture, not just by rabies or other vaccines with adjuvants.

> As you probably know, rabies is required even for indoor-only cats because mice, squirrels, bats, etc. can get into your home and can be carriers. <

This is not true ... it varies from state to state. The state where I live, California, does not require rabies vaccination for cats. I don't argue whether or not it's ADVISABLE, I'm simply saying it's not required.

> (Titers have been described to me as the indicators of the active immunity in the blood.) <

While having a titer (a measurable level of antibodies) in your blood does indicate immunity, NOT having a titer does not indicate lack of immunity. That's because immunity comes from memory cells, which we can't measure. Memory cells produce antibodies, but we don't need antibodies in our blood to make us immune.

>>The feline leukemia vaccine (which is only really needed if your cat will be exposed to other cats in an outdoor environment) can last up to three years > but a lot of vets are reccommending that it also be given every year because it's less effective (only about 85% in cats on the three year plan), so more frequent vaccines for kitties who go outdoors helps boost their immunity by refreshing the titers more frequently. >The distemper vaccine (which a lot of vets are calling a "3-way" because it protects against 3 airborne viruses - and has NOTHING to do with your cat's temper) has been approved as an every three year vaccine. It seems to be the only one that maintains a full three year titer without causing sarcomas or other negitive reactions at the injection site. >There are, of course, several vets who will do the three year rabies, leukemia and distemper vaccines on alternating schedules (so that they see your cat every year, but only give one vaccine per year.)
>>
>>This is information I was given by a cat only vet.

And yet there is no more scientific evidence in support of a three-year interval than there was for the one-year interval.
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Christie Keith
Caber Feidh Scottish Deerhounds
Holistic Husbandry since 1986
Meet the Felines!

I don't think that I will be giving my cats any more distemper shots. I've read (I can't remember where) that they are most likely effective for 3 years, and possibly for up to 7! At most, I think they might all get it every 5-6 years to be safe, but my guys are indoor only. I would probably rethink this and do it every 3 years if they went outside regularly or were exposed to indoor/outdoor cats.
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-Martha
Kuma
Bubba, formerly known as "Ducky"
and
Macaroni
And Now
Kola, the new fizzy kitten that has a tendency to go flat!