Cats as well as all pets need special care to be healthy without any risk of direct contact with them.
So, cat vaccines are a very necessary step for their protection against different, serious diseases that threaten them
Let's know more about cat vaccines through this article, including:
- What are vaccines required for cats?
- Core and non-core vaccines.
- Feline panleukopenia vaccine.
- Cat flu vaccine.
- Cat vaccine against Rabies.
- Vaccine against feline leukemia virus (FeLV).
- Chlamydophila felis vaccine.
- Cat vaccine against Bordetella bronchiseptica.
- Vaccine against feline immunodeficiency virus(FIV).
- Feline infectious peritonitis vaccine.
- Cat vaccine against Microsporum Canis.
- Cat vaccine against Giardia lamblia.
- The course of cat vaccines.
- What are the complications of cat vaccines?
Cat vaccines differ from country to country according to the existence of the disease and the availability of the licensed vaccines.
What are vaccines required for cats?
To perfectly recognize vaccines that are required for your cat, you must recognize the difference between core and non-core vaccines.
Core vaccine: it's an obligatory vaccine that is necessary for all cats, including indoor-only cats, to protect them against severe and/or widespread diseases.
The core vaccines which are obligated to protect all cats include:
Feline panleukopenia vaccine
This virus is mainly the fatal secret of hemorrhagic gastroenteritis that causes high cat mortalities.
Although this virus is highly contagious and can survive in the environment for long periods, the vaccine used against it is highly effective.
Cat flu vaccine
The main cause of upper respiratory tract diseases in cats (cat flu) is Feline herpes virus and feline calicivirus.
So, the cat vaccines against cat flu are a combination of these 2 viruses (FHV-1 and FCV).
3 in 1 vaccine (FVRCP): it can protect cats against 3 serious diseases, including feline distemper (panleukopenia), rhinotracheitis, and calicivirus.
Cats affected by cat flu show significant clinical signs which can be mild or severe, including:
Nasal discharge.
Conjunctivitis and eye discharge.
Mouth ulcers.
Sneezing.
These signs may lead to viral pneumonia for cats.
Most cats remain infected permanently by the virus, even with FHV-1.
Mode of transmission
The viruses can be transmitted by direct contact through the sneezed droplets of the infected cat.
The 2 viruses are so common and can be widely spread among cat populations, causing severe infection, especially in a young kitten.
Cat vaccines against these 2 viruses cause a great reduction of the disease severity, but they cannot prevent the infection completely.
Cat vaccine against Rabies
Cats can be infected by the Rabies virus, and become a source of human infection.
So, cat vaccines against Rabies are the key to preventing disease and protecting both cats and humans.
Non-core vaccines
They are optional vaccines used to protect cats against certain diseases.
Using a non-core vaccine depends on the cat’s lifestyle, age, and contact with other cats.
- Non-core vaccines include:
Vaccine against feline leukemia virus (FeLV)
It's a serious disease that can be transmitted through fighting, mutual grooming, litter trays, and sharing of food and water bowls.
Also, it can be vertically transmitted from queen to kitten before birth.
FeLV can cause many complications for the infected cats including immunosuppression, lymphoma, anemia, and finally death.
Detection and isolation of the infected cat and prevention of it from contact with other cats are necessary for the prevention and control of the disease.
Cat vaccines of young kittens and cats that go outside and may be in contact with unknown vaccination status are strongly recommended.
Chlamydophila felis vaccine
Chlamydophila felis is the main cause of cat conjunctivitis, and it may cause mild upper respiratory signs for a young kitten.
Cat vaccine against Bordetella bronchiseptica
Bordetella bronchiseptica is a bacterial infection that shares in the cat upper respiratory infection complex (cat flu).
These bacteria can greatly affect the stressed cat and can cause pneumonia in young kittens.
Although Bordetella bronchiseptica infection is easily treated by antibiotics, a cat vaccine against it is recommended, especially in case of repeated outbreaks of the disease in large colonies.
Vaccine against feline immunodeficiency virus(FIV)
This virus infection exists only in some countries.
It can be transmitted through cat bites, so cats that go outside are susceptible to the infection with fighting.
Although this virus has many strains, the cat vaccine against it is valuable and can protect cats at risk of exposure to some extent.
Feline infectious peritonitis vaccine
Feline infectious peritonitis is a disease caused by Feline Coronavirus that can infect 80% of cats in less than 2 years, causing serious clinical signs.
Intranasal cat vaccines against Feline infectious peritonitis are less or not valuable because they should be provided at 16 weeks of age.
At this age, cats may have been already infected by the virus, and become self immunized.
Cat vaccine against Microsporum Canis
Microsporum Canis is a fungal organism causing serious skin disease in cats called Dermatophytosis.
Adult cats can be carriers without any signs, but they can infect the younger kitten.
The cat vaccines provide immunity within one month and last for at least one year.
So.cats should be vaccinated twice, with 10–21 days between the first and the second vaccination.
This cat vaccine protects the environment from spreading the virulent spores of Microsporum canis and so, it eliminates invaders from the sensitive cat populations and environment.
Cat vaccine against Giardia lamblia
Giardia lamblia in cats is one of the main causes of cat gastrointestinal disease.
It can affect 6 — 20% of adult cats and 24–28% of young kittens.
Cat vaccine against Giardia lamblia eliminates shedding of cysts, and so it prevents clinical signs of the disease.
Vaccination against Giardia lamblia occurs by Injection of the first dose at 8 weeks of age and followed by a second dose after 2-4 weeks.
In the USA, the Giardia vaccine became available and based on the current state of knowledge of Giardia immunology and antigenicity.
The course of cat vaccines
The first cat vaccine dose is at 8-9 weeks of age, followed by the second one after 3-4 weeks.
It's recommended to provide a third vaccination at 16-20 weeks of age, especially for FPV.
The first booster cat vaccines should be provided after 12 months, followed by another booster vaccine every 1-3 years.
What are the complications of cat vaccines?
The adverse effects of all cat vaccines are rare, especially in cats that are vaccinated annually.
The side effects of cat vaccines are mild and last for a few days, including loss of appetite, lethargy, and tenderness at the site of injection.
There are more serious side effects that can be observed as a result of cat vaccines, including:
Diarrhea.
Fever.
Vomiting.
Signs of respiratory tract infection.
Lameness.
Lumps at the site of injection.
Fibrosarcoma: it's the most serious side effect, as it's a malignant tumor developed at the site of vaccination.
It's a rare side effect that occurs in 1 in 20,000 vaccines, but it should be considered as it may cause limb amputation as it's difficult to remove the tumor completely by surgery.
So, in the USA, it's recommendéd to provide rabies vaccines in the right hind leg, FHV-1/FCV vaccines in the right front leg, and FeLV vaccines in the left hind leg.
Finally, cat vaccines are necessary to protect your cat from many diseases with a high risk that threatens your cat's life.
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Written by: Dr. Mai Foda
Resources
https://www.bioveta.eu/products/veterinary-products/biofel-m-plus-injection-suspension-for-cats.html
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